Category: Philippine Star

The provincial government of Cebu has declared a state of calamity following a devastating 6.9 earthquake that killed at least 20 people.

Vice Governor Glenn Soco announced that after meeting with provincial leaders, they ‘officially declared the entire province under a State of Calamity.’

‘This declaration is necessary to give our provincial government the ability to respond quickly and effectively. It allows us to mobilize resources, extend immediate assistance to affected families, and implement rehabilitation measures as we begin our recovery,’ Soco said in a Facebook post.

Soco urged Cebuanos to remain cooperative and vigilant as disaster response continues.

Several other municipalities in Cebu have also declared a state of calamity, including San Remigio and Bogo City.

The earthquake struck the province on Monday night, destroying infrastructure and leaving dozens of casualties.

Actress Nadine Lustre described taking part in the protest last September 21 against corruption as her responsibility as a Filipino.

In an interview with ABS-CBN during partnership of her and partner Christophe Bariou’s coconut milk brand Dehusk with local beverage brand Pickup Coffee, Nadine shared she had a wonderful experience attending the rally.

“I think it’s my responsibility being Filipino to be one with everyone else,” Nadine said, adding she went not as a celebrity or a public figure but as one of the people.

“Parang na-feel ko lahat nang nandoon sa Ortigas, ‘yung nandoon sa EDSA, I felt like I was part of everyone,” the actress also said.

She even shared being impressed with her “Call Me Mother” co-star Vice Ganda, who gave an impassioned speech during the rally, as well as other public figures who showed up.

“This time, we really have to fight, fight for our rights, fight for our country and for our fellow Filipinos,” Nadine continued. “It’s just so nice to see everyone to be out and fighting for the same thing, for the same cause.”

Nadine and Christophe’s Dehusk is a plant-based coconut milk brand, and its partnership with Pickup Coffee sees two proud local brands working hand in hand.

The collaboration introduces an exciting line of four new beverages that combine Dehusk’s plant-based coconut milk with Pickup’s bold and trendy flavors: Nadine’s Coco Mango Matcha, Ube Coconut Milk, Pickup Coco Latte, and Strawberry Coconut Milk.

CCTV footage captured the shaking at the Minglanilla Sports Complex in Cebu after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in Bogo City struck Tuesday night, September 30.

The strong quake toppled buildings, killed several, and injured dozens across northern Cebu and Metro Cebu. Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities assess the extent of damage.

Resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will be invited to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into anomalous flood-control projects, panel chair Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said Tuesday, September 30.

Lacson denied accusations that he was shielding certain personalities in the case. He had clashed with Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, the committee’s former chair, over the handling of the investigation.

Marcoleta had questioned why House members linked to the scandal could not be called to testify.

‘For the next hearing of the committee, we will send an invitation letter to [Co’s] address. Now we know he is abroad and will not show up. If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,’ Lacson told reporters.

‘If the show-cause order is not satisfactory, we will cite him in contempt of the committee and issue a warrant for his arrest,’ he added.

Summons issue. Inter-parliamentary courtesy had initially protected Co from being summoned while he was a sitting congressman. His resignation, however, now allows the Senate to issue a subpoena if he refuses to appear.

As for Romualdez, Lacson said the invitation would be sent through current House Speaker Bojie Dy ‘out of courtesy.’

Ongoing probe. The Blue Ribbon Committee has been investigating irregularities in flood-control projects that allegedly involved lawmakers and contractors from both chambers of Congress.

Sens. Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva have been accused of receiving kickbacks from budget insertions for Bulacan flood-control projects.

Co, meanwhile, has been accused of delivering billions in alleged kickback cash to Romualdez.

Philippine National Bank (PNB) is set to shut down its offshore branch in Bahrain and dissolve two domestic subsidiaries as part of a continuing effort to rationalize operations and focus on core businesses.

In a disclosure, the Lucio Tan-led lender said its board approved the closure of its Bahrain branch and the dissolution of its consumer finance and enterprise services sectors.

PNB has over 70 overseas branches, representative offices and remittance centers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. It maintains correspondent relationships with more than 300 banks and financial institutions and over 90 overseas agents and tie-up partners worldwide.

PNB assured clients that the closure of the Bahrain office will follow regulatory procedures of both Philippine and Bahraini authorities to ensure smooth settlement of accounts.

‘On the closure of PNB Bahrain Representative Office, board approval is required before Notice of Closure is sent to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and before Letter of Intent is submitted to the Central Bank of Bahrain and Bahrain Ministry of Commerce,’ the bank said.

The filing also reported a slight reduction in PNB’s capital stock after the buyback of 47,402 common shares. The company’s authorized capital stock remains at 1.75 billion shares with a par value of P40 each.

PNB president and CEO Edwin Bautista earlier said the bank could sustain its earnings momentum in the second half, citing strong fundamentals, aggressive lending plans and ongoing digital transformation.

PNB earlier reported a 22-percent jump in net income in the first half to P12.5 billion. In the second quarter alone, the bank posted a 29-percent year-on-year increase to P6.4 billion.

There’s electricity in the Meralco camp as the Bolts are set to unveil the dream team-up of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Justin Brownlee in the East Asia Super League.

‘I’ve played alongside JB and I played against Rondae and they’re two of the fiercest competitors I know. And to have them come to our program to lead this team and show that competitiveness that has made them successful, that’s really important not just for myself but for the younger guys to see,’ Meralco star Chris Newsome said.

Hollis-Jefferson of TNT and Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra have been fierce rivals in Asia’s first play-for-pay league, battling in the finals in three of the last six conferences, including two in the previous Season 49 alone.

With the Philippine Cup slated as the PBA’s opening conference beginning Sunday, both the Tropang 5G and the Gin Kings allowed the three-time Best Import awardees to suit up for the Bolts, the country’s lone bet in the international hoopfest.

‘It’s nice we get to all represent the Philippines and we’re all going to be on the same team for once and we’re not competing against each other,’ said Newsome, who is teammates with Brownlee in Gilas.

‘It’s going to be nice to go out there and really just fight alongside those guys and play whatever role I need to play,’ he added.

The irony of Brownlee donning the Meralco jersey after breaking the Bolts’ heart on his way to three of his PBA championships isn’t lost on the Bolts.

‘This is more than Meralco or us,’ said Bolts coach Luigi Trillo. ‘We’re very happy pinayagan si Justin, pinayagan si Rondae because we have to care more for the fans, too. Nakikita natin (fans’ frustrations) sa Gilas and sa EASL kapag hindi tayo nananalo. If you think about it, pound for pound, the Philippines can do well against any Asian country. The problem is the ballclubs allow four imports so we have to pivot and adjust to that.’

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is likely to extend the current rice import ban until the end of the year to help stabilize farmgate prices, with new measures also being prepared to support local farmers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said yesterday he met with President Marcos last week, where they agreed to extend the ban by at least 30 days.

‘It is possible that the ban could be extended until the end of the year, depending on the situation,’ Tiu Laurel told reporters in an interview at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

‘I also talked to our rice millers and local rice traders last week. They are actually requesting the import ban to be extended until the end of this year,’ he added.

Tiu Laurel said the price of palay, or unhusked rice, has dropped again, prompting the government to consider extending the import ban and drafting additional measures to support local farmers.

Among these measures is an executive order that will prohibit local government units and other government offices from buying imported rice to help rice farmers.

Tiu Laurel also said the government may increase tariffs once the import ban ends and will issue an executive order to set a floor price for rice.

Another measure to ease rice prices is to sell P20 rice for one month to households in typhoon-affected areas such as Masbate and Eastern Samar.

Each household could buy up to 30 kilos of the staple grain, the agriculture official said.

The 60-day rice import ban that began in September was implemented by the Marcos administration to help stabilize farmgate prices and shield local farmers during the harvest season.

During his 2022 election campaign, Marcos pledged to lower the retail price of rice to P20 per kilo, a commitment that has since drawn close public attention to both price fluctuations and government actions in the rice sector.

To promote a healthy lifestyle, the Department of Health (DOH) will hold a two-day family health fair in Manila’s Rizal Park.

The DOH said the ‘PinaSigla National Health Fair’ would be held from Oct. 4 to 5 at 9 a.m.

‘The goal of the gathering is to push for health promotion and prevention of diseases of the Filipino family,’ the DOH said in a social media post.

Participants can avail themselves of free medical consultation, X-ray screening, tuberculosis assessment, HIV and cervical cancer screening as well as vaccination.

Those attending the fair can also take part in blood donation, zumba, yoga and games.

More than 2,000 participants and beneficiaries are expected to attend the health fair, the DOH said.

As multiple witnesses accused him of being a principal player in budget insertions and flood control anomalies, Elizaldy Co resigned from Congress yesterday.

All is not lost for his Ako Bicol party list, which will get to have someone else fill the seat he vacated in the House of Representatives.

Resignation was Co’s response to the order from new Speaker Faustino Dy III, to return to the Philippines by Sept. 29. Yesterday’s deadline lapsed with Co still a no-show, still maintaining his innocence, claiming threats to his safety and that of his family and decrying that he has been deprived of due process.

Dy said the resignation spared Co from facing the House ethics committee and likely expulsion from the chamber.

Now without government responsibilities, Co can focus on addressing the serious allegations against him, hurled at congressional hearings and before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

The ICI released yesterday its first major report on the flood control mess, recommending to the Office of the Ombudsman the filing of criminal and administrative complaints where applicable against Co, 12 officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways along with five officials of Sunwest Inc., the construction firm founded by Co that bagged a P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Among the preliminary findings of the ICI was that ‘grossly substandard’ materials were used in the construction of a road dike along the Mag-asawang Tubig River in Naujan.

The ICI found ‘reasonable ground’ to recommend pursuing charges of graft, malversation, falsification of public documents and violations of the procurement law against Co and the others, apart from administrative cases.

If Co truly wants due process, the best way to get it is to come home and face the accusations against him. He has not adequately explained the reason for his absence since the joint opening of the current 20th Congress. He won’t even disclose where he is exactly, prompting the government to request the Interpol to monitor his movements under a blue notice.

Even with his resignation, Co has a responsibility to explain to the people what happened during the House deliberations on the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Act, when he chaired the appropriations committee.

His refusal to return home is tarnishing even his Ako Bicol party list, and inevitably former House speaker Martin Romualdez. Co’s prolonged stay outside the country is being seen as flight, which is usually associated with guilt.

Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Robert Nazal has urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to exclude the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) from remitting cash balances and trust funds to the National Treasury.

During plenary deliberations on CHED’s proposed 2026 budget, Nazal pointed out that the Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF) still holds a balance of P11.7 billion, which he said should be used to support new grantees under the Tertiary Education Subsidy program.

While Executive Order 338, issued in 1996, requires government agencies – including state universities and colleges (SUCs) – to transfer their cash balances and trust funds to the National Treasury, Nazal argued that the HEDF is an exception.

Created by law to expand access to higher education, he said the fund was specifically intended to be maintained in a government financial institution, not the treasury.

‘There are numerous students awaiting scholarship, and we cannot afford that these funds lay idle there without any purpose because thousands of our youth are still dreaming of reaching college in their education,’ he said.

Nazal revealed that CHED owes about P12.3 billion to SUCs under the Free Tuition Fee Law, including P1.1 billion to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

He argued that the P11.7-billion HEDF should be tapped to finance new scholarships, while the P12.3-billion arrears must be settled immediately.

‘The law is clear: these funds should be placed in a government financial institution, nor locked in the National Treasury,’ he said.

The HEDF, with a standing balance of P11 billion, earns around P2 billion annually. If invested at five percent interest, it could yield at least P550 million a year for additional scholarships, according to Nazal.

‘If DBM insists on controlling the fund, even the interest should be spent exclusively for college scholarships,’ he added. ‘But once it is commingled with the general fund, the money is moved around and no longer serves the very students it was intended for.’

Funding demands

Meanwhile, the DBM and a group of health workers have urged Congress to act swiftly on the proposed 2026 national budget, raising concerns over rising enrollment in SUCs and underfunding in the health sector.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman reiterated the Marcos administration’s commitment to increasing education spending, particularly for SUCs, and called on lawmakers to expedite the approval process.

The proposed 2026 national budget allocates P1.224 trillion to basic and higher education – equivalent to four percent of gross domestic product (GDP) – with P134.99 billion earmarked for SUCs.

However, with SUC enrollment projected to rise from 1.97 million to 2.27 million in 2026, lawmakers warned of a potential shortfall of P3.29 billion in the Free Higher Education program.

In response, Pangandaman assured Congress that the DBM is open to adjusting allocations to ensure funding matches projected enrollment figures.

She also emphasized the government’s use of Program Convergence Budgeting to consolidate overlapping programs, maximize resources and maintain transparency.

Despite the reallocation of P255.5 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ flood control budget to education and health, Pangandaman said that critical infrastructure projects, such as school buildings, hospitals and agricultural facilities, would not be affected.

Simultaneously, the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) criticized the proposed P320.5-billion health budget, which amounts to only 1.23 percent of GDP – well below the World Health Organization’s recommended five percent.

The group called for an increase to at least P1.3 trillion to fulfill the government’s promise of free and quality health care.

HEAD also condemned the current budget process, citing systemic corruption tied to unprogrammed appropriations and congressional insertions allegedly benefiting political allies.

The group demanded full transparency and accountability in budget proceedings, warning that leadership changes in Congress should not be used as political cover but should lead to genuine reforms.

HEAD further called for a comprehensive public health system that guarantees free, progressive and quality services without patients having to rely on political favors or programs like the medical assistance for indigent and financially incapable patients.

‘Replacements in the Senate presidency, Congress speakership and the creation of an Independent Commission for Infrastructure should not be mere political tools to placate the growing rage and eroding public trust of the people,’ it said.

‘Actions must lead to systemic change to restore integrity, uphold accountability and genuinely serve the people,’ it added.

Schedule

The House of Representatives, under Speaker Faustino Dy III, is set to conclude plenary deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget this week.

Oct. 10 has been designated for the period of amendments before the bill is transmitted to the Senate for further review.

Deliberations on the proposed budgets of the Office of the Vice President, along with the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Migrant Workers, Information and Communications Technology, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, Civil Service Commission and the Career Executive Service Board, are scheduled for today, Sept. 30.

On Oct. 1, the House will tackle the 2026 budget proposals of the Office of the President, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology and Transportation.

The same day will also cover discussions on the budgets for the Congress of the Philippines, support for government-owned and controlled corporations, lump sum funds and the turno en contra.

During yesterday’s session, the House reviewed the proposed budgets of the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Agriculture, Health and other executive offices.

Once approved by the House, the General Appropriations Bill will be sent to the Senate.

This will be followed by a bicameral conference committee to reconcile any differences before submission to the President for signing.

Lawmakers are targeting enactment before the end of the fiscal year to avoid a reenacted budget, as outlined under Paragraph 7, Section 25, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution. – Keisha Ta-asan, Rhodina Villanueva