Category: Philippine Star

The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned in Santa Ana, Manila has denied the claim of Mayor Isko Moreno that the city government funded the roofing and retrofitting of the church.

‘The current roofing retrofitting here in our church is funded by our generous benefactors and is not funded by the city government,’ the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned said on Facebook.

Moreno cited the retrofitting of the church as among his accomplishments in his first 100 days in office.

‘We are confused by an entry in the Mayor’s report for his first 100 days in office, specifically the accomplishment entitled, ‘Pagsasaayos ng Sta. Ana National Shrine.’ As far as the church administration knows, the local government of Manila currently has no projects or activities related to the (retrofitting),’ the church said.

The Sta. Ana National Shrine asked Moreno to clarify the issue.

‘The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned has been and will always be in alignment with the goals and aspirations of the city government when it comes to cultural endeavors and safeguarding the free exercise of religion in the city. We request that the city government clarify the statement in our good Mayor’s 100-day accomplishment report related to our church, as it has caused confusion among our parishioners and the Manila constituents as a whole,’ the church added.

Santo Tomas needed three overtimes to earn a 98-89 against Ateneo and gain a piece of the lead in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball yesterday at the refurbished Blue Eagle Gym in Katipunan.

The Growling Tigers saved their best for last, forcing the Blue Eagles to just four points in the third extension to share the UAAP leadership with National U at 4-1 nearing the end of the first round.

Included in the killer finisher was a 9-0 blast capped by Collins Akowe’s layup to turn an 85-85 count after two extra sessions to a sudden 94-85 cushion heading home.

Akowe collared 20 points and 19 rebounds laced by three steals and three blocks, none bigger than the game-tying free throws in the last 31.6 seconds of the second OT to keep Santo Tomas afloat.

‘It was a triple overtime game so throw away all the numbers. It was all heart for both teams,’ said assistant coach Juno Sauler on the UAAP’s first triple extension since women’s basketball in 2018.

Earlier, Adamson needed a strong closeout after wasting a 20-point lead to keep University of the East winless, 76-62.

Adamson climbed to 2-4 for solo sixth place ahead of another tough assignment against red-hot Santo Tomas next Saturday.

These past months – years, actually – I have been sharing my wife Neni’s plans and frustrations in preparation for the Philippines to be the Guest of Honor in the Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest in the world, with a proud history and tradition that began in 1949. Although this grand initiative has taken her away from home, as a lover and collector of Philippine books, I thoroughly support this endeavor which I know is a once-in-a-lifetime break for the Philippine publishing industry. On the eve of her departure, Neni writes:

‘This is my nth trip to Frankfurt, Germany for the Frankfurter Buchmesse. It began during my term as chair of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) when Sen. Loren Legarda was approached by then NBDB governor and publishing icon Karina Bolasco, to help the publishing industry the way she helped Philippine art and architecture return to the Venice Biennale after a 50-year absence. And what tremendous help she has been extending – with the kind of all-out assistance the industry had never before received from anyone in government – so that what we all thought was another wild dream of hers will be a reality in a few days, on Oct. 14 – for the Philippines to be Guest of Honor (GoH), only the second Southeast Asian country to be so privileged, after Indonesia in 2015.

‘Yes, the work to bid, to prepare and to vie to be GoH needed many years of preparation. The country’s visibility at the Buchmesse was an important requirement as manifestation of our genuine interest. Karina Bolasco prepared the excellent Bid Book for the Philippines. The pandemic happened and we thought that was the writing on the wall. But post-pandemic, at the Philippine Book Festival in Davao in 2023, Juergen Boos, Buchmesse CEO, announced that the country had been approved as GoH for 2025. While we were elated by the news, we also knew that we did not have the advantage of the usual five-year advance planning afforded other countries. But buckle down to work, we did.

‘The initial necessary step as we learned from Indonesia and the Buchmesse officials was that first and foremost, a Core Team needed to be organized. Since Karina Bolasco, Ani Almario and I were on the board when the idea was first born and pursued, we became part of the Core Team and the subsequent working committees. Sen. Loren was the project visionary, while National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)’s tried and tested administrator Riya Lopez (also of the Venice Biennale successful exhibitions) and NBDB executive director Charisse Aquino Tugade were the project co-directors. Other members were writer and publisher Kristian Sendon Cordero, publisher Nida Ramirez and NBDB reliables, Maria Christina Pangan-Cagalingan and Charmaine Capuchino. Providing valuable support was the office of Sen. Legarda and other government agencies, the NCCA, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the NBDB. Philippine Ambassador to Germany Irene Susan Natividad and Frankfurt’s Philippine Consul General Ivy Banzon Abalos have been such supporters. It certainly takes more than a village to mount a GoH.

‘This trip to the Buchmesse is different from all previous trips. While we used to have a national stand to display our latest titles in various genres, this time we will have the usual stand – larger than usual – and a Pavilion of 2,000 square meters as GoH with us as central focus. It will exhibit the important books that tell the story of Philippine publishing and will also display a yearly tradition of books that the Buchmesse collects from publishers all over the world – books published in the last five years on the Philippines.

‘The Pavilion, conceptualized and designed by Stanley Ruiz and Patrick Flores, is promising as it attempts to capture the color, vibrance and diversity of the Filipino way of life.

‘It will be the venue for the hundred-plus sessions envisioned by Karina Bolasco for the international audience to discover the diversity and richness of Philippine art and culture, hardly known beyond its shores.

‘It is absolutely exciting that as GoH, a large 500+ strong delegation of Filipino creatives, publishers and supporters (and Pinoy style, family and friends) will be in attendance. Over a hundred creatives and publishers are travel grantees who applied when NBDB made the call.

‘While the Buchmesse officially ends on Sunday, Oct. 19, with the Philippines turning over the GoH distinction to Prague, the connections will certainly continue and be nurtured. It is a fortunate coincidence that Prague succeeds the Philippines as GoH, because the two countries have had a close link long before the shared GoH honor. The Philippine-Prague connection first began and was enriched during the tenure of Ambassador Jaroslav Olsa Jr. in partnership with Savage Mind’s Kristian Cordero, formerly Ateneo de Naga University Press director.

‘On the collaboration between these two countries, Cordero and I are proceeding to Prague to launch our titles which have been translated into Czech language. The launch is in partnership with the Philippine embassy in Prague headed by Amb. Eduardo Martin R. Meñez and Martin Vopenka, publisher of Prah and president of the Czech Publishers Association.

‘As co-chairs of the Translation Subsidy Program for GoH, Cordero and I are excited about the display the Philippine stand will proudly display – of the 28 (and counting) German editions and the countless others in over 30 different languages.

‘May GoH open doors for our writers and publishers.’

Cement manufacturers are urging the government to impose a safeguard duty of P600 per metric ton on cement imports to help the domestic industry survive amid competition from imports.

Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. (CeMAP) executive director Renato Baja said the group has requested the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to impose a safeguard measure of P600 per metric ton on cement

being brought in from overseas.

‘In our prayer (to the DTI), the P600 considered the injury (caused by imports) on the industry,’ he said.

He said the amount is what is considered a ‘fair price’ for domestic manufacturers, based on the comparison of the landed cost of imported cement and the factory gate price of locally produced cement.

‘What we want is to have a level playing field in terms of pricing,’ he said.

Earlier, the CeMAP said that cement suppliers from other countries, such as Vietnam, receive subsidies, which enable them to sell at lower prices.

As demand for cement is anticipated to slow down slightly with some government projects being put on hold amid the flood control controversy, Baja said a safeguard measure is now very much needed by the industry.

CeMAP’s proposed safeguard duty is higher than the provisional safeguard measure imposed by the DTI, amounting to P400 per metric ton, and the Tariff Commission (TC)’s recommended definitive safeguard duty of P349 per metric ton of imported Portland Cement Type 1 and blended cement.

While the CeMAP is proposing a higher safeguard duty, the group welcomes the TC’s recommendation to impose a safeguard measure on cement imports.

‘We’re happy that the TC recognized the injury to the domestic industry. But we will be more than happy if they can grant our prayer,’ he said.

He said a ban on cement imports would also be favorable for the industry.

According to the CeMAP, cement imports have declined by 19 percent following the DTI’s imposition of the provisional safeguard duty.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the DTI is currently reviewing the TC’s recommendation and expects to issue a decision before Oct. 14.

Earlier this year, the DTI imposed a provisional safeguard duty on cement imports after finding a link between increased imports of the building material and injury to the local cement industry.

Under the Safeguard Measures Act, the government can use safeguard measures, such as tariffs, to provide relief to the domestic industry from the harm caused by a surge in imports.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora has joined the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) and commits to uphold transparency and accountability in public service while assuring that his city remains free of ‘ghost projects.’

In a statement, Zamora thanked Mayors Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City Vico Sotto of Pasig, Benjamin Magalong of Baguio, Sitti Hataman of Lamitan and other M4GG members for welcoming him into the organization.

‘You can count on my support as a member of M4GG and expect transparent and efficient governance here,’ Zamora said in Filipino. ‘There are no ghost projects in San Juan and we ensure that all funds from both the national and local governments reach our constituents.’

Zamora, who serves as president of the Metro Manila Council and national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, was among 74 newly inducted M4GG mayors.

According to the M4GG, the new members reflect ‘a strong commitment to integrity and accountability.’

The group emphasized that the fight against corruption requires daily adherence to the principles of good governance.

M4GG is an alliance of local chief executives promoting integrity as well as anti-corruption and reform-oriented leadership.

As expected, the defense team of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte has filed an appeal for interim release after the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I rejected their earlier request.

Duterte’s lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman confirmed that an appeal was filed ‘a week ago.’

The ICC on Friday released the public redacted version of the Sept. 26 decision denying the interim release request.

A copy of the defense appeal has yet to be released, but Kaufman described the tribunal’s decision ‘to be erroneous.’

He noted that the ruling rejected ‘unprecedented State guarantees for a debilitated and cognitively-impaired 80-year-old, (who has been) kept from the public eye for more than six months.’

In its 23-page decision, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I said Duterte should remain in detention to ensure that he would not obstruct or endanger the investigation and the proceedings.

It outlined why Duterte remains a flight risk and how he could pose a threat to potential witnesses.

The decision, signed by Judges Iulia Antoanella Motoc, Reine Ade?lai?de Sophie Alapini-Gansou and Mari?a del Socorro Flores Liera, also rejected the defense’s arguments that Duterte should be released on the basis of humanitarian conditions.

‘The Chamber notes that the Defense limits itself to argue that ‘Mr. Duterte is 80 years old and medical reports’ . without substantiating how detention is so detrimental that it justifies his release,’ read the ruling.

It stressed that Duterte enjoys the right to medical treatment while in detention, including access to a qualified medical officer with experience in psychiatry and a nurse assigned at the ICC Detention Center.

‘Nothing in the request indicates that this would not be sufficient to ensure that Mr. Duterte receives the appropriate medical attention and care in detention,’ the judges ruled.

The defense is claiming that Duterte is not fit to stand trial supposedly due to cognitive decline.

An independent assessment has yet to be conducted, with the judges saying that the documents presented by the defense ‘do not indicate how Mr. Duterte’s alleged physical condition or cognitive impairment negate the risks’ that would warrant the approval of his interim release plea.

Ruling welcomed

Among those who welcomed the ICC’s rejection of Duterte’s interim release plea is ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, who was imprisoned for several years for being a vocal critic of the ex-president.

‘That was quick. We welcome the rejection of the International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber of Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release,’ De Lima said in a statement.

De Lima said the swift denial of Duterte’s plea for interim release is not a surprise.

‘The plea lacks support both in fact and in the Rome Statute. The ICC does not easily issue warrants of arrest without any inkling of the weight of the evidence,’ De Lima said.

In the case of Duterte, De Lima said the evidence is strong enough for the ICC to require his detention during trial.

‘Expectedly, as a no-nonsense court, the ICC will spare no sacred cows. It will not show favor to anyone, and will only listen to reason and side with what is just and right,’ De Lima noted.

Meanwhile, human rights groups were also delighted with the denied interim release plea.

‘The ICC’s ruling affirms what victims, families and human rights advocates have long known: that Duterte continues to have the means, motive and network to evade justice and obstruct the judicial process,’ the Duterte Panagutin Network said.

‘Allowing him temporary freedom would not only embolden impunity but also place at risk families of victims of his drug war who courageously continue to speak out and testify,’ it added.

ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti, who represents some of the drug war victims, said the decision ‘shows a fair amount of trust and respect for victims, often overlooked in international law, and a balanced consideration of arguments of the suspect/accused.’

‘The decision on interim release is mollifying, but at the same time acutely reminds us of how influential the Dutertes still are,’ she noted.

‘But with the detention of Duterte the mastermind in the Netherlands, we expect victims and witnesses of the ‘war on drugs’ here in the Philippines to be more emboldened to participate. Perhaps, the victims of all his other crimes as well,’ Conti added.

Mum for now

In Davao Oriental, Vice President Sara Duterte refused to comment on the denial of his father’s interim release plea.

‘I will hold my comment in the ICC case as we need to empathize with the victims of the earthquake and sympathize with those who suffered deaths,’ she said in an ambush interview in Mati City.

The Vice President also refused to comment on the present condition of her father as well as the slashed budget for the Office of the Vice President for 2026.

‘Let us prioritize the victims of the calamities. I will give my comments in the next few days,’ she said.

A bill has been filed in Congress to create an Agricultural Pension Program for farmers and fishermen in the country.

Rep. Nathaniel Oducado of 1Tahanan party-list has filed House Bill 5009, also known as Pensyonadong Magsasaka at Mangingisda, which seeks to create an agricultural pension program to provide long-overdue social security and pension benefits to the country’s farmers and fisherfolk.

The lawmaker pointed out that despite being the backbone of national food security, farmers and fishermen remain among the poorest in the country.

He said that in 2023, poverty incidence was recorded at 27 percent among farmers and 27.4 percent among fisherfolk, placing them among the top three poorest sectors in the country. Unlike workers in the formal sector, they are largely excluded from the national social security system, leaving them vulnerable in times of old age, illness or disability.

Oducado pointed out that the proposed measure would establish a comprehensive pension and social security program, while also offering an educational scholarship to the legitimate and legally adopted children of registered farmer and fisherfolk beneficiaries – with reasonable allowances for supplies and other academic needs.

‘This aims not only to secure their present welfare but also to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring access to quality education,’ Oducado said.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has shut down three branches of a visa consulting firm for allegedly engaging in illegal recruitment activities.

Padlocked were the branches of GST International Education and Visa Consultancy in Polomolok, South Cotabato; Iloilo City and San Fernando, Pampanga, which were found offering jobs abroad instead of visa consultancy services.

The DMW said the company and its branches have no license to recruit workers for overseas jobs.

Initial investigation showed that the GST offers career matching services and charges applicants from P30,000 to P50,000.

Applicants were reportedly promised to work as pipefitter, factory worker and caregiver in Australia, New Zealand and Canada with corresponding salaries ranging from P47,000 to P66,000.

The DMW said it would file charges against GST owner Nicole Salazar and her employees involved in illegal recruitment.

‘The GST, along with its officials and personnel will be included in the list of people and establishments with derogatory records. This means they cannot participate in the government’s overseas recruitment program,’ the agency said as it urged victims to cooperate with proper authorities for the filing of a case against the company.

Victims may contact the DMW office or send a message so they could be provided free legal assistance, the DMW said.

College of St. Benilde survived the absence of reigning MVP Allen Liwag for the second straight game after it repulsed upset-conscious Jose Rizal University, 73-65, to seize the solo Group B lead in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.

Raffy Celis and Justine Sanchez filled in the massive void left by Liwag, who remained out due to flu-like symptoms, in helping propel the Blazers to their third straight victory in four starts and straight to No. 1 in the second bracket.

The Celis-Sanchez pair took turns in scoring their team’s final eight points with three minutes to go that quashed the last hope of the Bombers to turn things around in their favor while sealing the runners up a season ago the win.

Celis ended up firing a game-high 20 points with five rebounds and four steals while Sanchez had 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.

‘We weathered the storm,’ said CSB coach Charles Tiu.

JRU, which came into the showdown a few days after shell-shocking San Beda, 67-66, almost pulled off another upset after roaring back from a deficit as high as 11 points at the half and cutting it to just two points, 65-63, on three foul shots by Sean Salvador with 2.52 minutes to go.

But it proved to be the Nani Epondulan-mentored Bombers’ last show of resistance as Celis and Sanchez each scored four points in that decisive 8-2 run.

JRU fell to 2-2 but not without receiving heaps of praise from Tiu.

‘Give credit to JRU. They’re a really good team and they play so hard. Those kids are young but man, they’re legit,’ said Tiu.

The scores:

CSB 73 – Celis 20, Sanchez 17, Morales 7, Ancheta 5, Umali 5, Moore 5, Oli 5, Gaspay 3, Eusebio 2, Cajucom 2, Ynot 1, Galas 1, Jalalon 0.

JRU 65 – Salvador 13, Peñaverde 11, Argente 9, Lozano 9, Benitez 7, Panapanaan 5, Laurenaria 5, Garupil 4, Herrera 2, Duque 0, Castillo 0, Sarmiento 0.

Quartescores: 22-19; 42-34; 55-51; 73-65

One will find it difficult to believe the gravity of it all. But here we are, waking up every day to this ugly reality. Just the other day, Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon announced that government agencies have uncovered 421 new ghost projects out of 8,000 sites investigated.

Detailed blueprints were signed, contracts were forged and monitoring teams gave the green light. Yet, in the end, these projects never happened. These aren’t just criminal acts but billions in hard-earned taxpayer money lost to corruption.

Obviously, Satan went on overdrive here in our nation of 115 million.

Sec. Dizon said the 421 ghost projects are only the initial findings, as there are around 100,000 projects that still need to be validated nationwide.

The people of Masbate are hoping authorities would visit their province too, because they say it is also plagued with ghost and substandard infrastructure projects.

Masbate, population 910,000, is an island province in the Philippines about 370 kilometers from Manila.

The province, say geologists, sits on a ‘pot of gold’ with its rich natural resources. It’s been called an Eden off the tourist trail with its powdery white sand beaches and turquoise waters.

And yet, Masbate is consistently listed among the top 10 poorest provinces in the Philippines.

The DPWH, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense and the Department of Economic Planning and Development, has been auditing the country’s flood control projects.

They should include Masbate in their audit – and not just the flood control projects.

I got hold of a copy of an Aug. 2, 2025 judicial narrative submitted by journalists Arnel Bello, Edarlito Doremon Jr. and Benjamin Gigante, members of the Masbate Quad Media Society (MQMS) Inc., detailing alleged ghost projects in different districts in the province.

The MQMS, an independent group of journalists, conducted a 2022 fact-finding mission, including physical visits to project sites. They ‘gathered photographic, testimonial and on-ground evidence pointing to possible malversation, fraud and administrative misconduct.’

As a result, they filed various cases with the Office of the Ombudsman against local officials led by then provincial governor Antonio Kho, now a representative of Masbate.

The list of alleged ghost projects they documented is long. Due to space constraints, I will print only the first 10 on the list:

Five ghost projects amounting to P234.6 million (complaint filed on Jan. 5, 2023)

Five ghost projects amounting to P127.7 million (complaint filed on Jan. 5, 2023)

Twenty-three ghost projects amounting to P198 million (complaint filed on Jan. 5, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation of Bayombon-Ubo Road Project amounting to P19.9 million (complaint filed on Oct. 18, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation of Igang-Gutusan-Igang Rawis Road in Barangay Igang, Masbate City amounting to P8.96 million (complaint filed on Oct. 18, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation of Calabad-Rizal Road, Barangay Calabad, Dimasalang, Masbate amounting to P19.9 million (complaint filed on Oct. 18, 2023)

Canahig-Polot Road in Barangay Polot, Mobo, Masbate amounting to P19.84 million (complaint filed on Oct. 18, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation of Cagay-Guintorelan Road, Mobo, Masbate amounting to P6.98 million (complaint filed on Oct. 18, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation of Sitio San Vicente Road, Milagros, Masbate amounting to P19.97 million (complaint filed on Dec. 22, 2023)

Ghost rehabilitation/regraveling of Barangay Real to Barangay Famosa Road, Monreal, Masbate amounting to P9.98 million (complaint filed on Dec. 22, 2023)

Furthermore, some of these ghost projects were awarded to a single, newly set-up contractor. The bidding dates and starting dates were all the same.

The complainants have since faced counter-charges and other forms of harassment, they said in their judicial narrative.

But as I said, this list is not even complete. It’s now up to Sec. Dizon to look into this.

Notorious for corruption

Stories of corruption in Masbate are nothing new. These have been reported by local newspapers and national newspapers.

Last year, The STAR reported that Doremon and Gigante filed a complaint against Kho and other officials for awarding contracts for three road rehabilitation projects worth P99.8 million in 2022.

There were other complaints filed against Kho and other officials, such as one involving alleged anomalous road projects worth over P234.6 million, but these were dismissed.

Interestingly, Kho himself, now a lawmaker, has spoken out against ghost projects, according to reports quoting him.

During a House investigation into flood control projects last August, the Masbate lawmaker raised concerns about the possibility of ghost projects among the 9,956 projects nationwide implemented as of July 2022.

He stressed the need for a comprehensive review to determine the extent of any irregularities and emphasized his commitment to finding solutions to the persistent problem of flooding.

If this is the case, then Masbate shouldn’t have ghost projects.

Only a full independent audit by the DPWH, together with the government team looking into flood control projects, can determine this.

With the Marcos administration stepping up its campaign against corruption in public works, it would be good to look into this province long notorious for poverty and graft.

This is also a challenge to newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla. He must look into the different cases pending before the ombudsman related to ghost projects in Masbate or corruption in general.

As we’re seeing now, whether it’s Manila or Masbate, corruption in flood control projects exists and the ghosts will continue to haunt us until authorities finally bring the perpetrators to justice.