Category: Philippine Star

The Senate will move to eliminate all unprogrammed funds from the 2026 national budget, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said yesterday, calling them a source of questionable insertions that have fueled recent controversies in government spending.

‘We will, as much as possible and, if possible, 100 percent no unprogrammed funds,’ Sotto told reporters, saying he had already discussed the matter with Senate finance committee chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

‘When we discuss the budget finally on second reading before third reading, there should be no unprogrammed funds. I-program natin kung anong kailangan… Para maliwanag, kitang-kita,’ he said, stressing it should be programmed if needed for clarity and transparency.

Unprogrammed appropriations, which can only be tapped if the government collects excess revenues or secures additional foreign-assisted loans, have long served as standby funds for extra projects.

But they came under scrutiny after lawmakers’ insertions pushed the 2025 unprogrammed funds to P531.7 billion before President Marcos vetoed P168.24 billion from the total.

Sotto said such last-minute amendments or additions – often done after second reading or during bicameral conferences – breed what he described as ‘insertions’ that evade proper scrutiny.

‘That’s what we shouldn’t tolerate. No matter how beautiful the insertion, what’s important is that you do it in plenary. Who is proposing it, what is being proposed and where it will be sourced should be clear,’ Sotto said.

He also welcomed the decision not to certify the budget bill as urgent this year, saying it would give lawmakers more time to review proposed appropriations before final approval.

‘Better if not approved the same day. You have three days to go over and review what you approved on second reading before you vote on the third reading,’ he said.

Gatchalian earlier said that removing unprogrammed funds from the 2026 national budget would help ensure ‘immediate funding’ for projects and reduce the country’s fiscal deficit.

He said only foreign-assisted components of unprogrammed appropriations – those backed by official loans – should be retained, while the rest should be folded into the programmed budget for greater transparency.

Jannik Sinner retired on Sunday from the Shanghai Masters after suffering from cramps in his third-round match against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor, easing the way for Novak Djokovic’s shot at a record-extending fifth title.

The 38-year-old Serb battled through to the L16 with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, despite admitting that he had been ‘hanging by a rope’ early in the match.

It was a sorry end for Sinner, who had been hoping this week to add to his China Open victory.

Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova beat Linda Noskova 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 to win the China Open for her second title of a breakthrough year and fourth overall.

The third-seeded American survived a second-set wobble to overpower the Czech 26th seed in one hour and 46 minutes in Beijing.

The Economy and Development Council (ED Council), chaired by President Marcos, has approved requests from government agencies to increase the cost, as well as extend the implementation and validity period of development objective agreements (DOAgs) supported by the United States.

In a statement, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) said the ED Council approved during its Oct. 2 meeting the increase in the cost of the Department of Health’s Improved Health for Underserved Filipinos initiative to $524 million from $224 million.

The cost increase is aimed at sustaining the aim of improving health outcomes among underserved populations.

Also approved was the cost increase for the Enhanced Ecosystem and Community Resilience to $250 million, up from $150 million, to enhance the ability of natural systems to provide ecosystem services and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

During the same meeting, the ED Council approved the extension of the implementation period of the Economic Growth and Democratic Governance with Equity initiative until Sept. 30, 2027, to further strengthen macroeconomic fundamentals and promote open governance in support of inclusive growth.

The ED Council also gave its approval to extend the implementation period of the Department of Education’s Improved Basic Education Outcomes initiative until Sept. 30 of next year, enabling the country to achieve sustained and measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

The DEPDev said the approved changes are designed to ensure the continued implementation of these initiatives as project management shifts from the United States Agency for International Development to the US Department of State.

‘These timely adjustments are crucial to sustaining the gains we have achieved through these agreements. They will ensure that programs continue to deliver meaningful results for the Filipino people, particularly in health, education, economic growth, governance and climate resilience,’ ED Council vice-chair and DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

‘By approving these measures, we are making sure that implementation remains uninterrupted despite the transition in management. This decision reflects our commitment to strengthen partnerships, protect hard-won progress and keep our development priorities on track,’ he said further.

Apart from changes in the US-backed development initiatives, the ED Council also approved adjustments to the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) Rehabilitation Project, particularly changes in scope, cost, financing and implementation timeline to address emerging technical requirements that enhance the railway’s reliability and safety.

According to the Department of Transportation, the project involves the full replacement of mainline rails, a general overhaul of 72 CKD-Tatra Light Rail Vehicles, as well as the procurement of bogie frames and assemblies.

It also includes integration with other MRT-3 Projects such as the MRT Common Station, Dalian trains and the transition to four-car train operations.

‘The MRT-3 is a vital artery in Metro Manila’s transport network. These adjustments are necessary to meet evolving technical demands and ensure that commuters benefit from a safer, more efficient and more reliable transit system,’ Balisacan said.

Also approved during the ED Council meeting were updated guidelines for the review and approval of major government programs and projects that require action from the ED Council or the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) co-chaired by DEPDev and the Department of Finance.

These changes include increasing the cost threshold for locally funded programs and projects to P5 billion from P2.5 billion and expanding the ICC coverage to include public-private partnership projects.

The guidelines also institutionalize the ICC’s mandatory review of all foreign loan-assisted projects, regardless of loan amount or total cost, excluding grant-assisted projects, which are reviewed by DEPDev.

Hit radio show “Boys’ Night Out” bid farewell last week after nearly two decades on air.

On the show’s official Instagram account, the program’s hosts Slick Rick, Tony Toni, Sam YG, Tin Gamboa, and Gino Quillamor thanked their listeners for 19 years of support.

“Though new management chose not to give us one last show, every laugh, story, and memory we,ve shared together will forever live in our hearts,” the hosts said.

“Over the years, ‘BNO’ has been more than a radio program – it became a community where we’ve been vocal, inclusive, and, in the later years, a safe space for many.”

The hosts then took a swipe at upper management for supposed power-tripping and toxicity.

“We do not condone toxic superiors, power-tripping, or division in the very workplace we called home for nearly two decades,” they said. “What we celebrate instead is the love, loyalty, and connection you’ve given us.”

The hosts ended with a hopeful message that the show’s spirit continues through listeners, “Together we will carry it into the future. See you all soon.”

Also serving as hosts during the show’s 19-year run were Alex Calleja, Ramon Bautista, Rica Cruz, Jojo the Love Survivor, King DJ Logan, and Shannon Robinson.

Despite his legal woes, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, along with six other applicants, made it to the shortlist of nominees for the ombudsman post, which the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) submitted to Malacañang yesterday.

In a letter dated Oct. 6 and addressed to President Marcos, the JBC said that after council deliberation on the same date, it selected seven nominees qualified to replace former ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term ended last July 27.

The letter was stamped as ‘received’ by the Office of Executive Secretary also on Oct. 6.

The letter, which the JBC uploaded on its website, showed that aside from Remulla, also nominated for ombudsman were former Commission on Audit chairman and incumbent Philippine Competition Commission chairman Michael Aguinaldo, Philippine Postal Corp. chairman Stephen Cruz, Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, Office of the President Deputy Executive Secretary for legal affairs Anna Liza Logan, retired SC associate justice Mario Lopez and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi.

Based on the letter, the JBC deliberation was presided over by acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen, with ex-officio members Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Rep. Gerville Luistro and regular members former SC associate justice Jose Mendoza, Integrated Bar of the Philippines representative Erlinda Uy, academe representative Nesauro Firme and private sector representative Jose Mejia casting their votes for the shortlist of nominees.

Remulla, an ex-officio member of the JBC as justice secretary, took ‘no part’ in the deliberation and voting.

Under the Constitution, an ombudsman must be appointed by the President from a shortlist of at least three nominees submitted by the JBC. An ombudsman shall serve for a term of seven years without reappointment.

The Constitution also provides that vacancy for the ombudsman post shall be filled within three months from its occurrence.

A total of 17 applicants for the ombudsman post were earlier interviewed by the JBC.

Remulla’s application was almost jeopardized by pending criminal complaints filed against him by presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos and acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte before the ombudsman.

The complaints, involving allegations of arbitrary detention, grave threats, graft, usurpation of judicial functions, perjury, among others, stemmed from the alleged illegal arrest and turnover of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Senator Marcos’ complaint was earlier dismissed by the ombudsman, but she filed a motion for reconsideration. Thus, she senator insisted, the complaint is still considered pending.

Under Section 5, Rule 4 of the Revised Rules of the JBC, those applying for the positions of ombudsman or deputy ombudsman who have pending cases or complaints before the ombudsman must secure a clearance from the same body or else they will be disqualified ‘from being nominated for appointment’ by the President.

Remulla had earlier told reporters that he was able to secure a clearance from the ombudsman and submitted it to the JBC before the council’s final deliberation, which turned out to have been conducted yesterday.

Reporters covering the ombudsman’s office asked for the status of the complaints against Remulla, but there was no response from its Public Information and Media Relations Bureau.

‘I’ll still be reporting for work here [at the Department of Justice] for sure, tomorrow. Because we are still trying to finish many things. But let’s see how it goes. I think the shortlist was submitted already [to the President]. That is all I know,’ Remulla told reporters in a chance interview yesterday.

Meanwhile, citing an unnamed source, GMA News reported that Aguinaldo got the highest nod from the JBC with six votes, followed by Remulla, Logan and Gaerlan with five votes each and Cruz, Lopez and Musngi with four votes each. The STAR has yet to confirm this report.

The Office of the Ombudsman is an independent body created under the Constitution with the primary duty of investigating public officials and employees for any possible criminal and administrative offenses. It is also the lead body that files and prosecutes corruption-related cases against government officials before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) recently arrested two Chinese nationals in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

Kong Xiangyu, 36, and Yang Bing, 53, were nabbed by members of the BI-Fugitive Search Unit led by FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy.

‘The arrest demonstrates our commitment to President Marcos’ directive to strengthen law enforcement and protect our country from foreign fugitives and undesirable aliens,’ Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.

Kong is wanted in China for fraud. Yang has a hold-departure order issued by a Parañaque court.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, October 7, appointed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as the new Ombudsman.

Remulla fills the seat vacated by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term expired on July 27, 2025.

The former Justice chief will now be responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes, particularly graft and corruption.

Remulla was appointed secretary of the Department of Justice in July 2022. Before serving as justice chief, he represented the 7th District of Cavite in Congress.

He was also the top-paid government official in 2023, earning a net pay of P7.08 million, up from P5.28 million the previous year, when he ranked as the third-highest-paid cabinet official.

His inclusion in the shortlist was nearly derailed after Sen. Imee Marcos filed kidnapping and arbitrary detention complaints against him with the same office Remulla was appointed to lead.

However, he was cleared of the charges last month and was included in the shortlist by the Judicial and Bar Council on October 7.

If Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano wants resignations and a snap election for the president, vice president and members of Congress, he can lead the way and step down first, according to his brother.

The proposal could ‘spark’ genuine transformation, but only if the senator and his family of politicians make the first move, former Taguig mayor Lino Cayetano said yesterday.

‘I support this proposal. I agree with my brother Alan and ask that we start with ourselves. Give up power.

And this movement for real transformation will be a legacy our father will be truly proud of,’ Lino Cayetano said in a Facebook post over the weekend.

He said the Senate ‘will function without the Cayetanos.’

The Cayetano ‘political party,’ he noted, has had 15 years to institute reforms, and that the Senate should be strong enough to continue without them.

‘If you truly believe what you say, then trust and have faith that if some of the old guard step down now, it will inspire others to follow,’ the former mayor said. ‘I will support further that no Cayetano should run in 2028 – all of us.’

The younger Cayetano, who was Taguig City mayor from 2019 to 2022, stressed that the proposal should not just be dismissed as a political gimmick but as a sincere effort to respond to the people’s ‘anger and demand for change.’

He said his elder brother’s proposal may convince older politicians to step aside to give the next generation a chance to lead.

‘For the status quo to step down may be the only way to give our country a chance – maybe this is our only hope for real change,’ he said.

Comelec: Law needed

But in the absence of a law, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) cannot allow the holding of snap elections.

While he is open to the idea, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said a snap election would only be possible if an amendment to the Constitution is made or if a law allowing such is enacted.

‘Under the present 1987 Constitution, with all due respect, that would be a problem because the terms of office of government officials are fixed,’ Garcia said in Filipino in a radio interview.

On Sunday, Cayetano dared elected officials – from the president to lawmakers – to resign to give way to snap elections, where none of them would be allowed to participate.

‘Uncertainty, chaos’

For Senate President Vicente Sotto III, holding a snap election would be ‘flirting with uncertainty and chaos.’

In rejecting Cayetano’s proposal, Sotto said the country has ‘no constitutional nor legal framework for a snap election.’

Sotto said resignations cannot be an option, especially since not all elected officials have betrayed public trust.

Instead of resignations, Sotto said the Senate may be able to restore public trust by making the budget-making process transparent and accountable.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said the real solution lies in holding corrupt officials accountable, not in replacing elected leaders through another election.

He also warned that another election could ‘fuel more corruption’ as candidates resort to vote buying, often using public funds.

The Makati Business Club (MBC) said changing systems, not calling for the mass resignation of elected officials, is key to strengthening government institutions and democracy.

‘Simply changing the people in power will not achieve the lasting improvement in the country’s governance,’ the business group said in a statement yesterday.

The group said there are many proposed systemic changes languishing in the legislature, including an anti-dynasty law, changes in the bank secrecy laws and Freedom of Information law.

In the ongoing probe on corruption in flood control, the MBC said Filipinos are demanding transparency, accountability and justice.

‘These are immediate measures that need to be put in place for meaningful reforms that the country needs,’ the MBC said.

Kapamilya actress Julia Montes expressed her support to increase the salaries of Filipinos amid the increasing prices of commodities.

Julia sat down for an interview with DJ Chacha which start out with laughter until the conversation pivoted to the Philippine economy.

“Ang napapansin ko kasi, tumataas ang bilihin, lahat. Pero ang sweldo, hindi tumataas. So sana, kung may tumataas man sa Pilipinas, tumataas din sana yung salary kasi hindi nababalanse,” Julia said.

The actress pointed out that the price of rice continues to increase but salaries don’t, “Taas ‘to nang taas, so parang unfair din para sa mamamayan.”

DJ Chacha and Julia then began talking about “nepo babies,” the term for children of rich individuals who flaunt their wealth in public.

“Nalulungkot din ako. Kung ako nga iniisip ko na ‘yung mga gastusin, paano pa ‘yung ibang tao?” Julia said.

She reiterated how difficult it was to get by, but still quipping a little envy whenever she sees someone living lavishly.

“Pag nakakakita ka ng sobra ring lavish lifestyle, syempre napapaano ka rin na.Talaga ba? Hashtag, sana all,” Julia ended.

Standup comedian Ate Gay gave an update on his battle with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, a rare type of cancer, after undergoing chemotherapy.

On his Facebook account, the comedian posted a video sharing that his tumor had shrunk in three days from 10 centimeters to 8.5.

“Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat na nanalangin ng aking anggarang paggaling.. patuloy lang po,” Ate Gay said giving thanks, and in another post said, “Ang swerte ko sa Anghel ko .. madami nag aalaga sa akin.. nag chemo at chemo radiation ako kanina. Salamat sa patuloy na panalangin.”

Ate Gay announced weeks ago that he was diagnosed with Stage IV mucoepidermoid squamous cell carcinoma and thanked generous sponsors who made it possible for him to seek treatment.

“‘Di ko man ma-replyan taos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa sobrang dami… patuloy lang po ang panalangin,” Ate Gay said at the time.

He also shared finding a place to stay in Alabang near the hospital, also provided by one of her generous fans.