Category: Philippine Star

Expect chants protesting against corruption to continue on in basketball and football games played by University of the Philippines.

The UP Varsity Pep Drummers will continue with protest chants against corrupt individuals in their games, head coach Herbie Villafranca said.

During the Fighting Maroons’ game with the Ateneo Blue Eagles last week, the pep squad chanted ‘Ikulong na yan, mga kurakot!’ during their halftime performance. The audience also chanted.

The Ateneo Blue Battle Battalion also wore shirts reading ‘Kurakot Ikulong’.

In a statement, Villafranca said that the VPD first chanted the call with the UP community during the ‘Black Friday’ protests at the UP Diliman on September 12, in the wake of issues of government corruption.

‘That was nearly a month ago, and since then, we’ve heard the chant echo through mobilizations, concerts, and mass gatherings. People are angry, and they have every right to be. More importantly, people must not forget,’ he said in a statement.

‘Given how warm the reception was (during UP-Ateneo), we intend to continue doing the chant regularly at basketball and football games to remind the public that no one has been jailed yet. We also hope to expand this effort to other sports in the future,’ he added.

Villafrance also encouraged other universities ‘to join us in chanting and pushing for the corrupt to be jailed and justice to be delivered.’

Allegations of corruption have risen the past few months for alleged ghost and anomalous flood projects across the Philippines.

The chants are expected to be heard as the Maroons will take on the Far Eastern University Tamaraws on Sunday, 4:30 p.m., at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

State seismologists said there is a significant increase in seismic activity at Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon.

According to the state seismology agency Phivolcs, the Bulusan Volcano Network recorded a total of 72 volcano-tectonic earthquakes since 12:00 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2025.

These quakes are indicative of rock fracturing and are occurring at shallow depths, specifically less than 10 kilometers beneath the volcano’s northern sector.

While Alert Level 1, or low-level unrest, is being maintained over Bulusan Volcano, the agency warned that there are now increased chances of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions occurring suddenly and without warning from the crater and/or its active vents on the summit.

Degassing activity from the active vents has been observed as ranging from very weak to weak.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission was recorded at an average of 31 tonnes per day on October 9, a figure that remains below the baseline of 200 tonnes per day, according to Phivolcs.

State seismologists reminded the local government and the public that entry into the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) must be strictly prohibited.

The agency also advised residents to exercise vigilance within the two-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) on the southeast sector due to hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic projectiles and ashfall.

Phivolcs further recommended that communities experiencing ashfall use protective gear, such as masks or wet cloths and pay special attention to vulnerable populations.

It also directed civil aviation authorities to instruct pilots to avoid flying near the volcano’s summit and urged residents along valleys and stream channels on the western sectors to remain vigilant against lahars and sediment-laden stream flows during heavy rainfall following an eruption.

SSI Group Inc. and Rustan Commercial Corp. president and CEO Anthony Tantoco Huang has been named among The Business of Fashion (BoF) 500 Class of 2025, becoming the first Filipino to be included in its executive category.

Huang joins a distinguished group of creatives, executives, designers and innovators as part of The BoF 500 Class of 2025.

The BoF 500 is regarded as the definitive index of the people shaping the global fashion industry.

Underscoring the industry’s increasingly diverse and global character, this year’s honorees come from 30 countries, representing 40 nationalities.

‘This recognition by The Business of Fashion is a profound honor that I share with the entire SSI Group and Rustan Commercial Corp. teams,’ Huang said.

‘It underscores the passion and commitment of the Filipino retail community and validates the strategy we have pursued in bringing the world’s best retail concepts to the Philippines, while championing our heritage and vision for the future of Filipino consumption. We are proud to represent the Philippines on this global stage,’ he said.

Under Huang’s leadership, SSI Group – the Philippines’ largest specialty retailer – has built one of Asia’s most dynamic lifestyle retail portfolios.

Huang’s inclusion in The BoF 500 reflects the continued growth of the SSI Group, further enhancing the family’s legacy retail businesses under his leadership.

After three years of BYS Fashion Week, founder John Lozano felt it was high time that it transitioned and converted into Manila Fashion Week (MNLFW).

‘[It will be] a fashion week that we can all be proud of locally. And in the same breath as New York, Paris, Milan, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Bangkok. We now have Manila Fashion Week, and we’re very, very proud,’ a zealous Lozano said at the media launch held at KMC Solutions in Makati City.

The new shows, happening on October 16 to October 19, will have a single location – SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City. The roster is composed of ‘visionary Filipino designers,’ such as Andrea Tetangco, Don’t Blame The Kids (DBTK), Chris Nick, Viña Romero, OXGN, Íñigo, Randolf, and Viktor.

Commerce as the focal point

With the rebranding, fashion enthusiasts are naturally expecting things to be different with MNLFW.

‘So, fashion weeks all over the world have always centered on commerce. You know, if you go back to the core of what a fashion week is supposed to be, it’s really for designers to sell their clothes, to show to their clients and whatnot,’ he explained.

‘So, commerce has always been at the center of fashion weeks all over the world and that’s what we’re trying to do this year. What’s unique about Manila Fashion Week this year is we’re gonna have a pop-up or a re-see,’ said Lozano.

It’s the Manila Fashion Week pop-up, which will happen the day after the shows. So, if the designers show on October 16, on the next day their clothes will be available for sale through a pop-up in SM Aura.

‘Everybody can get the chance to go to that store, feel the pieces up close, touch it, and eventually buy some pieces. So that’s an innovation we want to sort of introduce because Fashion Week, it’s not just really supposed to be for show. It’s really supposed to help the designers get their pieces out there and at the same time, the audience, they need to just not just see the clothes but they need to wear it and bring it home. And for me, that’s the essence of it all,’ Lozano said.

‘We are stronger together. And one of the challenges for Manila Fashion Week was really to get the support that it needed. Because, honestly, in order to do an event that’s of this scale, of this magnitude, and with the standards that we’ve set in the past three years, it takes not just a village, but it takes an entire town to mount Manila Fashion Week,’ added Lozano.

‘Because imagine that’s eight shows spread out into four days. We’re very grateful for the support that we received for the first Manila Fashion Week. And I guess, you know, this is just the start. And I feel like, and I feel strongly that in the years to come, there will be more support for this endeavor. Because at the end of the day, who will benefit from this the most would be the country,’ a hopeful Lozano said. ‘Because it’s high time that the world sees that the Philippines is not just a jungle with coconut trees and sand. You know, fashion is here and the world needs to see it.’

One venue for all shows

For the past three years of BYS Fashion Week, the shows were held at different venues across Metro Manila, because the organizers wanted to introduce that concept to the Philippines and for the people to experience moving from one venue to another.

‘[It was] in the spirit of we wanted the designers to really give input on where they want their show to be, you know, whatever would convey their message better. And for this year, we partnered with SM Aura just to change things up a bit because we’ve done that whole traveling from one place to the next route and at the same time, because of the weather conditions we have here, it’s not that easy to keep moving from one venue to the next,’ stressed Lozano.

Even with a single venue, Lozano assured that each show will still have its own design and flavor. The set will be changed every day for each show, which will be presented at the Samsung Hall and at the Manila Fashion Week Tent in the Sky Park of SM Aura.

‘So again, this is the first. The tent that we’re building is custom. It’s really made for MNLFW. There are two shows per day and then the next day, when the other two designers show, the set will be different. We’re gonna change it four times. So, there’s gonna be eight shows, all completely different but all housed within SM Aura,’ said Lozano.

In between the shows, there are a lot of things people can do. There will be lounges, food will be served, there’s photo vignettes, people can take photos, they can go around. And at the same time, in between the shows, they can all go to the pop-ups. Lozano said it will be a full experience for the guests.

‘Everything’s there at the mall. There’s parking. It’s comfortable. And that’s what we want for Manila Fashion Week this year. We want it to be as comfortable as possible so that people will really enjoy and focus on the shows. It’s very interactive,’ added Lozano.

Coming from the past three fashion weeks, and this being the first year of Manila Fashion Week, the organizers will still be following the format that attendance to the shows is by Invite Only.

‘Given the limited capacity of the venues, obviously it’s really Invite Only. Again, same as other fashion weeks all over the world. But what we are going to do is, through our website, www.mnlfashionweek.com, people can sign up. They can send their profiles, and then the Manila Fashion Week team will reach out to them if they get passes,’ explained Lozano.

Next big Filipino brand

The roster is composed of ‘visionary Filipino designers,’ such as Andrea Tetangco, Don’t Blame The Kids (DBTK), Chris Nick, , OXGN, Íñigo, Randolf, and Viktor.

‘It’s a very well-curated designer roster that we prepared for everybody. It has a little bit of everything. You know, we have streetwear, we have brands like DBTK and Oxygen. We have streetwear designers, Íñigo and Victor. We have Viña Romero and Randolph. And then we have Andrea Tetangco and Chris Nick,’ shared Lozano.

All of these designers, Lozano feels, will offer something different and something unique to the shows.

‘And we’re very, very excited. Just a quick note, one of the things that’s sort of not necessarily different, but what we want to advocate for Manila Fashion Week is really the next, what we feel is the next global Filipino brand,’ said Lozano. ‘And I believe that this roster really has what it takes to go global. And I really hope that people will really support and really feature these designers because they really deserve their slot.’

The MNLFW team deliberates on the roster this year but eventually down the line, they may have a screening committee.

‘But at this point, it’s just really us. And, you know, obviously me with my, I guess my experience as a stylist lending it to the team. So, it’s really just us deliberating. But in terms of criteria, we look for brands and designers that have a distinct point of view,’ explained Lozano.

Brands or designers that the moment you see a piece you already know, it’s theirs.

‘That’s always something that I look out for – designers that have a unique point of view. And at the same time, designers and brands that really have the potential to go global. Because at the end of the day, if we’re pushing global, we want to get designers that have that mindset of creating brands that can compete globally,’ he said.

‘It’s not necessarily just brands that create beautiful gowns or beautiful pieces. It’s brands that think beyond just designing clothes,’ Lozano emphasized. ‘It’s brands that think, that create bags, that create shoes, that create the world around them. That’s one of the biggest criteria for the selection of designers this year.’

Partnership with DOST-PTRI

The push, Lozano noted, is to solidify MNLFW’s position as the premier fashion week or fashion event in the country. He believes that in the past few years, they have worked tirelessly to achieve that.

Another thing to note for MNLFW this year is their partnership with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute, whose thrust is to push Filipino fabrics like piña or piña blend, among others.

‘This is our little way of, even if this is fashion, this is street, this is fashion week, we still inject a Filipino flavor in everything. Because I think I mentioned in one interview before, something Filipino doesn’t always have to be like a Terno or a Barong Tagalog. You know, even a biker jacket can be Filipino if it’s made by Filipinos,’ said Lozano.

‘And more so if we’re using fabrics that are distinctly Filipino. So, I think that mindset of, ‘OK, we have to be, it’s Filipiniana, we have to wear Terno or Barong Tagalog.’ That should change because the only way for Filipino fashion to go global is to embrace each and every one and everybody, regardless whether it’s a gown, a pencil skirt, or like I said, a leather jacket, it’s Filipino if it’s made by Filipinos,’ he stressed.

Lozano mentioned to the DOST team that the roster of designers this year are mostly ready-to-wear brands, or at least they have ready-to-wear stores and they have pieces that are wearable.

‘For me, that’s very important. When I spoke to DOST, I told them it’s important to nurture and support these designers because they have, I guess, a wider reach. If it’s a designer that just makes one-of-a-kind pieces, then it can only reach a certain few. But with brands like DBTK, for example, with the reach that they have and Oxygen incorporating these pieces, it’ll show people that these fabrics are not just meant to be worn on special occasions. They’re not just meant to be worn as office attire. They’re meant to be worn every day,’ said Lozano.

‘The DOST is really working hard to develop fabrics that we can use on a regular basis. It’s just that they need help to push these fabrics forward. And I believe Manila Fashion Week will help them there with the help of the designers. But yes, they have the supply. They just need people to see it. Supply is not a problem,’ assured Lozano.

The Filipino Identity

But how can Manila Fashion Week distinguish itself from all the other fashion weeks in the world?

Lozano’s lengthy reply follows:

‘This is a bit of a topic that is kind of controversial, at least in my world. I’ve always pushed for embracing who we truly are. And who we truly are is a mixture of so many things. I think, and again, not everybody will agree with me, but instead of really finding that Filipino identity, you know, we always get caught up with what’s the Filipino identity? Who are we? What are we?

‘I think what we are failing to see is that we are everybody. We are a melting pot. We are new, but we are old. We are modern, but we are classic. And until we accept this, if we keep finding, you know, unique things about the Philippines, of course, that’s noble.

‘But you aren’t who you are if you don’t embrace the present and you don’t embrace the future. So instead of just looking at the past and finding, you know, the thing that’s so unique about the Philippines, let’s just embrace who we are today.

‘And who we are today in the age of the internet and social media, who the Philippines is today is a global country. We are the capital of social media in the world. We are very exposed and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with being global.

‘And that’s what we want to push for Manila Fashion Week. It’s not always about as much as we love the Ternos and Baro’t Sayas in the world, but that doesn’t define the Philippines. What defines the Philippines is the people and our ability to adapt.

‘And by God knows, the Philippines is super global. We are the most global in this region. And if we don’t accept that, then we’re not going to reach the next level.

‘And that’s what we want to show, that we are global. We are not a jungle.’

That gospel episode about a fellow who, by insisting and disturbing a storeowner, finally got the bread he requested for a friend who arrived at his home in the middle of the night (cfr. Lk 11,5-13), reminds us that there is always a need for insistence and perseverance in requesting for God’s guidance in areas in our life which are most vulnerable to go wrong.

And among these vulnerable areas are those of the social sciences, like sociology, economics, political science, anthropology, etc. These social sciences are not exact sciences like math, physics, or chemistry, since they study evolving human behavior and societies with the view of understanding and having an enlightened dominion over certain social phenomena, like cases of inequality, conflict, and appropriate development.

Yes, our social sciences definitely need the guidance of our Christian faith if only for them to avoid going to the dogs. This may be hard to observe considering a strong tendency among people everywhere to think that for these social sciences to be credible, it should be based solely on empirical data and avoid being influenced by some religious faith.

That is, of course, a baseless presumption since we cannot avoid to do and interpret things according to some mindset, some philosophy and ideology. In the end, everyone is guided by their beliefs, whatever they may be.

We have to remind ourselves that it is actually our Christian faith that would give us the proper guide in doing and developing our social sciences, since it contains all the truth about man in all aspects of his life. God possesses the complete and exhaustive knowledge of humanity. We should never dare to do things simply on our own, relying only on our powers.

Our sciences, technologies, arts, our various systems: legal, juridical, political, social, business, etc., have laws that ultimately come from God. We only discover them, and use them to lead us to God and to glorify him which actually involves serving and loving the others.

This obviously means that we all should try our best to develop a solid and intimate relationship with God. Especially for the leaders in the different levels of society, this intimate relationship with God should be the first requirement for them to be truly qualified to lead. They should not depend only on some human or natural talents for them to lead. They need the guidance of God through the faith which God shares with us.

Our Christian faith provides the moral framework for considering issues involved in the social sciences. For example, the principles of love or charity, justice and compassion can help properly shape on how we approach issues like poverty, inequality, or community development.

Obviously, it is in our Christian faith that provides us with the proper perspective on human nature, enlightening us on how we have to understand what proper human behavior is, what our true human dignity is, and how our relationship with one another should be.

It would be appropriate to integrate our Christian faith with whatever study and research is done in the social sciences. This Christian faith can offer us the proper values and motivations for engaging in social science research or practice. It gives us the proper perspective on how to interpret data or findings in the social sciences.

This does not mean that we have to do away with the principle of separation of Church and state and that clerics more than lay persons should lead in the areas of politics. This only means that all our human affairs, including what our social sciences study and manage, need to be guided in the end by our Christian faith, and not just on some empirical data that can be interpreted in any which way.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is scrambling to get additional budget to boost local vegetable production amid accelerating inflation of the commodity group.

The surge in vegetable inflation has been flagged as one of the contributors to faster overall headline inflation in the country. Officials attributed the uptick in vegetable prices to weather disturbances that caused supply disruptions.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), inflation of the commodity group vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses in September accelerated to 19.4 percent from 10 percent in August.

In particular, inflation of leafy or stem vegetables, where broccoli belongs to, remain elevated at 16.8 percent despite being slower than the 24.5 percent recorded in August.

Inflation of other vegetables, which include carrots and onions, accelerated to 25.6 percent, its fastest rate in two years, based on PSA data. The commodity group of other vegetables do not include fruit-bearing vegetables and green leguminous vegetables that have their own specific price growth indexes.

Inflation of the three commodities in the National Capital Region were even faster compared to the national average.

In NCR, inflation of the entire group of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses hit 20.5 percent. Meanwhile, leafy or stem vegetables had an inflation of 22.8 percent, while other vegetables hit 26.9 percent.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas noted that higher vegetable prices caused by recent weather disturbances drove food inflation in September to accelerate faster. Food inflation last month inched up to 0.8 percent from 0.6 percent in August.

The DA reported that the combined effects of southwest monsoon and Typhoons Mirasol, Nando and Opong damaged at least P5 billion worth of agricultural products nationwide. Based on its latest report, at least 60 percent of damage and losses were recorded in the rice sector, followed by high value crops at nearly 24-percent share.

In particular, the weather disturbances damaged 45,339 metric tons (MT) of lowland and upland vegetables, commercial crops, root crops, spices, legumes and fruits resulting in a value loss of P1.2 billion, according to the DA.

Agriculture officials have pointed out that the supply shocks experienced by vegetables are temporary given the series of weather disturbances that hit the country.

To immediately address the supply woes and temper price increases, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he approved the importation of certain vegetables — carrots, broccoli and onions — without announcing it publicly.

In September, some 51 MT of fresh carrots from Australia worth P2.16 million entered the country, based on Bureau of Customs data.

BOC data also showed that almost 16,000 MT of fresh yellow onions were imported from August to September with an average landed cost of about P35 per kilo.

Meanwhile, fresh red onions started to enter the country last month, with some 598 MT imported, based on BOC figures. The landed cost of imported fresh red onions, which includes tariffs, was around P33.6 per kilo.

From August to September, 513 MT of broccoli arrived in the country with an average landed cost of almost P76 per kilo, BOC data showed.

DA price monitoring reports indicated that the price of carrots as of Oct. 8 remain elevated as it cost as much as P300 per kilo with a prevailing tag of P250 per kilo. Meanwhile, broccoli prices range from P150 to P450 per kilo from last month’s P270 to P410 per kilo price range, based on DA reports.

Red onions meanwhile continue to see an upward pressure in prices as it now costs as much as P200 per kilo compared to the upper limit recorded last month of P170 per kilo, DA data showed.

However, DA’s medium-term solution for the country’s vegetables sector hit a roadblock as the budget for its high value crops program, which includes vegetables, is seen to go down next year.

In today’s higher education landscape, the obsession with standards, metrics and targets has become an unquestioned norm. Accreditation agencies, ranking systems and government-mandated indicators dictate the rhythms of academic life.

Faculty and administrators chase numbers such as publications, citations, completion rates, grants and partnerships on the assumption that these equate to excellence. Yet behind the glossy annual reports and compliance checklists, higher education institutions risk losing their soul. They appear dynamic on paper but stagnant in practice, reproducing the very inequalities they claim to dismantle.

This culture of compliance is not accidental but structural. It reflects a neoliberal logic that reduces education to measurable outputs, as though intellectual inquiry and social responsibility can be quantified like factory production.

Compliance regimes impose rigid frameworks that flatten diverse institutional contexts, producing homogenized universities where the creation of distinct identities is discouraged. Whether a university is urban or rural, globally oriented or locally rooted, all are judged against the same uniform criteria. In such a system, innovation is not rewarded; conformity is.

One of the most serious consequences of compliance culture is the reduction of complex educational goals into simplistic indicators. Accreditation and quality assurance processes ask how many papers have been published, how many patents filed, or how many partnerships signed. These questions rarely probe deeper: Do these outputs matter to society? Do they address inequities or transform communities?

When institutions chase metrics, innovation suffers. Faculty are discouraged from pursuing interdisciplinary or community-oriented work because it may not yield ‘publishable’ outputs in high-impact journals. They learn to play safe, producing formulaic studies that check boxes but lack depth. Students, too, are molded into compliant performers, trained to memorize for standardized tests rather than to think critically or question assumptions. The result is an education system that rewards efficiency but punishes creativity.

Compliance culture also widens inequality. Well-resourced universities with strong administrative machinery can easily meet accreditation requirements and climb rankings. Smaller or rural institutions, by contrast, struggle to cope with bureaucratic demands that divert scarce resources away from faculty development, student support, or community engagement.

In contexts like the Philippines, where resource disparities are stark, compliance becomes an additional burden for those already marginalized. Urban universities accumulate citations and visibility, while provincial colleges, often serving the most underserved populations, are penalized for failing to meet standards designed for privileged institutions.

Instead of leveling the field, compliance deepens the divide, creating a two-tier system of elite universities that thrive on metrics and struggling colleges left behind. The tragedy is that those closest to marginalized communities are least empowered to serve them, trapped in endless cycles of paperwork and performance audits.

The rhetoric of ‘world-class’ education further entrenches this problem. Institutions proudly market global competitiveness, touting rankings, international linkages and foreign faculty hires as markers of prestige.

Yet this pursuit often disconnects them from their local responsibilities. Universities pour resources into meeting global benchmarks while neglecting the needs of nearby communities. Faculty are rewarded for publishing in Western-indexed journals but not for engaging in public scholarship or collaborative work with communities.

Even acts of service are bureaucratized. Faculty are expected to secure memoranda of agreement before extending help, and without such documents their contributions are unrecognized. The cumbersome process discourages genuine engagement.

Ironically, in trying to formalize accountability, institutions end up stifling compassion and initiative. The marginalized remain invisible, their needs sidelined by the imperatives of rankings and reputation. Higher education becomes less a vehicle of social transformation than a machinery for institutional branding.

Defenders of compliance argue that metrics ensure accountability, that without standards, universities would become complacent. But there is a profound difference between accountability and bureaucracy.

True accountability builds trust and growth, while bureaucracy breeds fear and fatigue. Quality assurance mechanisms should function as developmental tools, not punitive instruments. Instead, faculty now spend disproportionate time documenting their worth, assembling teaching portfolios, compiling research outputs, and filling out forms.

The labor of proving productivity often outweighs the labor of actual teaching and scholarship. Students, too, are burdened with rigid requirements that measure conformity more than creativity. Rather than fostering excellence, this system breeds cynicism and burnout. The irony is painful: an education system that prides itself on innovation has institutionalized mediocrity through paperwork. The more an institution documents its excellence, the less time it has to practice it.

The winners in this compliance-driven ecosystem are not students, not communities, and certainly not most faculty. They are regulatory agencies, accrediting bodies and ranking organizations whose authority depends on perpetual institutional dependence.

Globally, Western publishing houses and ranking institutions profit from universities desperate to prove their ‘world-class’ credentials. Locally, bureaucrats consolidate power as gatekeepers of compliance. This dynamic exposes the political economy of higher education.

Compliance is not just a technical process; it is a system of control. It reproduces global hierarchies where the standards of excellence are defined by those already in power. Marginalized institutions and scholars have little say in shaping these standards. Their exclusion is not an accident, it is the very mechanism through which compliance culture maintains order.

Escaping this tyranny requires reclaiming the purpose of education. Higher education must move beyond the narrow logic of performance metrics toward a vision rooted in equity, creativity and social transformation.

Evaluation systems should reward diversity of outputs and recognize contributions that matter locally as well as globally. Community engagement, participatory research and public scholarship must be valued alongside publication counts.

Redefining excellence means rejecting the shallow pursuit of ‘world-class’ status and instead addressing world-class problems such as climate change, inequality, digital exclusion and social injustice. Universities that tackle these through interdisciplinary collaboration and inclusive pedagogy are truly excellent, even if they score low on conventional metrics. This shift also requires amplifying marginalized voices in academia.

Compliance culture silences them; transformative education must empower them. Investment in underfunded institutions, recognition of nontraditional scholarship and democratization of access are crucial. The key question should no longer be whether universities meet targets, but whether they change lives.

Compliance culture endures because it offers the illusion of progress. Numbers, rankings and certifications provide a comforting narrative of success. But beneath the surface lies a hollow core, an education system obsessed with ticking boxes while neglecting its moral and social mission.

Unless higher education confronts this tyranny, it will remain a factory of credentials rather than a crucible of change. True accountability lies not in hitting targets but in answering to society. True excellence demands courage, the courage to innovate, disrupt, and serve those left behind even without bureaucratic validation.

Universities must reclaim their autonomy to think, imagine, and act beyond the confines of compliance. Only then can they fulfill their promise as spaces of emancipation where knowledge is not merely produced but lived, shared, and used to transform the world.

As Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro marked her first 100 days in office last October 8, there was also the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 59, creating the Provincial Animal Welfare Council (PAWC) to institutionalize programs on animal welfare, rabies control, and marine life conservation in Cebu Province.

The order establishes the PAWC as the primary policy-making, coordinating, and monitoring body for all animal welfare and marine conservation initiatives across the province.

It aims to promote sustainable governance that benefits both humans and animals.

Baricuatro said the creation of the council reflects her administration s long-term commitment to environmental protection and humane animal treatment.

Under EO No. 59, the PAWC will be chaired by the governor and vice-chaired by the provincial veterinarian, Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy.

Members include the chairman of the Provincial Board s Committee on Agriculture, currently Board Member Cesar Baricuatro, representatives from city and municipal Agriculture and Veterinary Offices, accredited animal welfare organizations, and a representative from a veterinary college.

The council is mandated to formulate and update policies and programs on animal welfare, rabies prevention, and marine life protection consistent with national and local standards.

It will also monitor the compliance of local government units with animal welfare laws, pound management, and vaccination programs.

A major component of the order is the conduct of sustained information and education campaigns on responsible pet ownership, rabies control, and marine conservation. These will be implemented through seminars, community outreach, and media campaigns led by the PAWC in coordination with animal welfare groups.

EO No. 59 also mandates the establishment of provincial animal and dog sanctuaries that will serve as shelters for rescued, impounded, or abandoned animals. The sanctuaries will be jointly managed by the provincial government and accredited organizations under the technical supervision of PAWC.

All LGUs are directed to maintain humane and properly managed dog pounds. The Provincial Veterinary Office, together with the PAWC, will conduct regular inspections and require quarterly compliance reports from local governments to ensure humane standards are met.

The executive order further strengthens rabies control measures through annual mass vaccination drives and a continuous spay-and-neuter program as part of humane population management. Funds will be allocated for vaccines, feeds, medicines, and other logistical needs to sustain these initiatives.

Beyond terrestrial animal welfare, the PAWC will also focus on marine conservation.

In partnership with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, DENR-BMB, DA-BFAR, and the Philippine Coast Guard, the council will enhance protection for marine species such as thresher sharks, marine mammals, and other threatened aquatic wildlife.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s hearings on the multibillion-peso flood control corruption scandal are set to conclude with two remaining sessions next month, acting chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo said yesterday.

Tulfo said the next hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 10, after the Senate’s month-long break, to ensure the attendance of senators who are currently on official trips or attending public events.

The upcoming sessions will culminate in a partial committee report, which will be followed by a new round of inquiries – this time into the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s spending on farm-to-market road (FMR) projects.

‘I’ll make sure the hearings proceed continuously, almost every week,’ Tulfo said over radio dwIZ.

Tulfo intends to continue the line of inquiry pursued by former chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson, particularly in summoning former speaker Martin Romualdez and resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, who are key figures linked to the alleged project corruption.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III backed this move so the two lawmakers can face their accuser, Co’s alleged security consultant Orly Guteza, who claimed to have delivered cash-filled suitcases containing kickbacks to their residences.

According to Sotto, Co may be compelled to appear before the Senate and could face arrest for contempt if he repeatedly ignores the summons, while Romualdez may be invited directly in accordance with inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Aside from the flood control project anomalies, Co is also expected to account for his connections to Hi-Tone Construction, the contractor allegedly tied to the Department of Agriculture’s FMR projects, which were earlier flagged as ‘overpriced by P10 billion.’

Due to this, the panel will also invite Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to answer questions related to the matter.

‘I’ve already instructed the Senate Blue Ribbon secretariat to send invitations to Romualdez, the contractors and the DA secretary for the farm-to-market road hearings,’ Tulfo said.

Explaining the committee’s shift in focus, Tulfo emphasized that the Blue Ribbon’s role is not to prosecute but to craft laws that prevent lawmakers and their allies from manipulating the national budget for personal gain.

‘Our hearings are not for conviction. They are in aid of legislation,’ he said.

He added that the committee’s forthcoming recommendations may include penalties such as perpetual disqualification for public officials caught interfering in the National Expenditure Program or diverting unprogrammed funds for political purposes.

Where is Guteza?

Tulfo urged Guteza yesterday to resurface and stand by his allegations that Co and Romualdez received cash-filled suitcases in an alleged multibillion-peso flood control kickback scheme.

Tulfo said Guteza has not been seen since his appearance before the committee and that he would coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation to locate him.

‘At this point, we have to find Guteza. I’ll coordinate with director Santiago of the NBI,’ Tulfo said. ‘If you’re listening, Mr. Guteza, it’s better for you to come forward. You testified under oath – now you’re missing. It looks like you’re hiding, or you made it up. You need to stand by your words.’

He added that Guteza should be ready to face those he accused, saying both Co and Romualdez may appear in upcoming hearings.

Filipino scientists who returned home under the Department of Science and Technology’s Balik Scientist Program are proving that world-class innovation can come from Filipino minds and can change lives on the ground.

The DOST recently honored the achievements of these scientists during the 11th Annual Balik Scientist Program Convention in Pasay City, highlighting how their work is transforming key sectors such as health, agriculture, energy and coastal resilience.

‘It highlights that the true strength of the Balik Scientist Program lies not only in bringing back globally trained experts, but also in transforming their expertise into concrete actions, policies, technologies and solutions that directly uplift and benefit our people,’ said DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.

He lauded the diverse contributions of returning scientists, from developing vaccines to advancing coastal engineering and renewable energy, saying these show how Filipino innovation can address urgent national challenges.

The two-day event featured poster exhibits, TED-style BSP Talks and a Kapihan Session on policy innovation.

Returning scientists presented breakthroughs in neurogenetics, aquaculture, biotechnology and renewable energy.

Among them was Dr. Angelo Bañares, currently working with the University of Mindanao and Pampanga State Agricultural University, whose research focuses on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.

His current project involves converting used plastics into glycolic acid, an ingredient in cosmetic exfoliants, through microbial processes.

Rev. Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, a Balik Scientist hosted by the University of Santo Tomas, shared his pioneering work in biotechnology, including a COVID-19 oral vaccine developed from probiotic yeast.

A member of the Private Sector Advisory Council for Healthcare, Austriaco also advises President Marcos on national health care reforms and vaccine policies.

Meanwhile, Dr. Joemel Quisumbing presented a modeling framework for sustainable cage aquaculture and coastal pollution control, a comprehensive tool integrating environmental, social and technological factors to promote ecosystem-based management and protect marine resources.

Since its inception in 1975, the Balik Scientist Program has brought home 697 scientists across various fields, with 933 engagements recorded to date.

The program continues to attract more Filipino experts abroad to return and contribute to national development.