Category: Philippine Star

The Cebu City Council has revived a long-delayed plan to drill production wells within public schools as the city continues to grapple with a worsening water shortage.

In an approved resolution authored by Councilor David Tumulak, the Department of Education (DepEd)-Cebu City Division was directed to coordinate with the Cebu City Government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) for the development of groundwater sources in eight identified schools.

The schools identified for the proposed wells are Barrio Luz Elementary School, Labangon Elementary School, Don Vicente Rama High School, Bulacao Community High School, Pardo Elementary School, Quiot Elementary School, Punta Princesa Elementary School, and Talamban Elementary School.

The resolution recalled that the project was first proposed in 2019 but was shelved after the late Mayor Edgardo Labella was unable to sign a tripartite agreement among the city government, DepEd and MCWD.

In a letter dated April 24, 2026, MCWD General Manager Atty. John DX Lapid urged Mayor Nestor Archival to revive the project.

Lapid explained that the initiative had been discontinued because of the unresolved agreement but stressed that the urgency of Cebu’s water shortage now calls for a more streamlined approach.

To avoid the lengthy national-level approvals required by DepEd, MCWD recommended that the agreement be executed directly between MCWD and the Cebu City Government, noting that the city owns the land where the schools are located.

Lapid also asked the mayor’s office and the Local School Board to facilitate joint site inspections of the identified schools to determine their feasibility.

He said a direct partnership would expedite the development ‘for the benefit of the schools, the surrounding communities, and the people of Cebu City.’

The revival of the project comes as Cebu City continues to face a daily water supply deficit.

Declining yields from Buhisan Dam and the Jaclupan water facility in recent months have compounded the shortage, while the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has forecast that El Niño conditions will intensify through early 2027, potentially prolonging dry conditions and putting further pressure on the city’s water systems.

Farmers in upland barangays have already reported crop losses even before the onset of the rainy season, while MCWD has resorted to water rationing, water trucking and the rehabilitation of old artesian wells to augment supply.

Several groundwater projects have already been completed, while exploration drilling has begun in Kalunasan at the Girl Scout Camp.

The Kalunasan project is intended to provide water to upland communities and the Cebu City Jail, which has long been without a direct water connection

In an effort to recalibrate and overturn its sagging fortune, Converge is turning to an American forward who’s already accustomed to how things are done in the PBA – Cameron Clark.

Clark, who had three previous stints since 2021, is taking over from Jamaal Franklin as the FiberXers (3-4) look to arrest a four-game skid and further their cause in the hunt for a ticket to the Season 50 Governors’ Cup quarterfinals from Group A.

The 6-foot-5 Clark assumes import duties in time for the FiberXers’ crucial duel with Terrafirma (3-4) today at Ynares Center-Antipolo where solo fourth in the seven-team bracket is on the line.

Clark isn’t actually Converge’s primary candidate as import No. 3 in the conference vice second import Franklin, who got the boot after failing to lead the team to victory in his three appearances in place of original reinforcement Jalen Hudson.

But after Travin Thibodeaux measured over the 6-foot-6 inch height limit, he eventually received the call.

Now on his fourth tour of duty, the 34-year-old Clark is expected to take a relatively shorter adjustment period with the Delta Pineda-coached squad.

It’s not long ago since he last saw action, beefing guest team Eastern in the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup and averaging 29.2 points, 12 rebounds, 1.4 assists 1.0 block in powering the Hong Kong club to 3-2 as its first import.

Prior to this, he manned the fort and helped San Miguel Beer to a semifinal finish in the Season 47 Governors’ Cup, accounting for 28.7 markers, 11.3 boards, and 3.2 dimes over 15 matches.

Nicole Rojo announced her arrival as a rising force in Philippine triathlon, emerging as the first Filipina finisher in the IRONMAN 70.3 Lapu-Lapu while multi-titled Irienold Reig Jr. continued his remarkable run with another age-group victory last Sunday.

Rojo, who has built her credentials through a string of victories in smaller endurance races, finally delivered a breakthrough performance on a major stage, clocking 5:15:27 over the grueling 1.9-km swim, 90-km bike and 21-km run course.

The performance enabled the South Cotabato native to pull away from Melona Yucot, who finished in 6:06:54, and Rachel Wong (7:38:52) to dominate the women’s 18-24 age-group division in the 12th staging of the premier endurance race presented by Megaworld.

Reig, meanwhile, further cemented his status as one of the country’s most promising young triathletes, ruling the men’s 18-24 division in 4:23:03 on splits of 18:24, 2:26:00 and 1:32:49.

Motorists can expect fuel prices to drop today by over P4 per liter across the board, while Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) customers will see power rates ease in August after two consecutive months of hikes.

Minimum price cuts this week of P4.70 per liter for gasoline, P4.30 for diesel and P4.88 for kerosene have been announced by the Department of Energy.

‘These changes are based on movements in the global oil market amid ongoing developments in the Middle East that are affecting global supply and prices,’ the DOE said.

The rollback followed a sharp decline in crude oil prices last week as expectations grew that shipping conditions in the Middle East could gradually improve.

Meanwhile, households and businesses in Metro Manila and nearby provinces will get a reduction of P0.0428 per kilowatt-hour in their Meralco power bills this month.

The adjustment brought the overall rate for a typical household down to P14.7833 per kWh in August from the previous month’s P14.8261 per kWh.

This translates to a cut of about P9 in the total electricity bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh.

Meralco head of utility economics Larry Fernandez said the P9.5-billion refund ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) was the main reason for this month’s lower rates.

The refund, equivalent to P0.5861 per kWh for residential customers, offset other increases in power costs.

‘Customers would have seen a bigger reduction if not for the increase in the ancillary service charge billed by NGCP (National Grid Corp. of the Philippines),’ Fernandez said yesterday.

The transmission charge, which covers the cost of transporting electricity from power plants to distribution networks, went up by P0.3024 per kWh due to higher ancillary service costs from the reserve market.

Also known as power reserves, ancillary service helps keep the grid stable and reliable.

NGCP pays these charges to generation companies that provide backup power to the grid.

The generation charge, which reflects the cost of electricity procured by Meralco from suppliers, inched up by P0.0296 per kWh, driven by increased costs from major gas contracts.

Also exerting upward pressure on power bills were taxes and other charges, which registered a net increase of P0.2113 per kWh.

This included the ERC-approved increase of P0.1348-per-kWh in the feed-in tariff allowance, which supports eligible renewable energy projects across the country.

Collection of the green energy auction allowance – another renewable power charge – remained suspended this month, as ordered by the ERC.

Meralco pays pass-through charges for generation and transmission to power producers and NGCP, respectively, while taxes and other charges are remitted to the government.

The distribution charge, the only portion that goes to Meralco, has not changed since the P0.036 per kWh reduction in August 2022.

As monsoon rains continue to affect parts of Meralco’s franchise area, the company said its crews are working around the clock to safely restore power to affected customers.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, service interruptions affected more than 38,000 Meralco customers, 1,200 of whom were in flooded areas.

Most of the affected connections were in Cavite, while the rest were in parts of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Batangas.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation yesterday elected Frank Lao of Strong Group Athletics as new president in polls held at the Solaire Theater Southlinks Boardroom.

Also elected were Donn Capunan as vice president, Rommel Ng as treasurer, and former PNVF chief Ramon Suzara, Sienna Olaso, Francis Chad Salimbangon, Carmela Gamboa, Rustico Camangian, Mohamad Bernan, Jr. and Jonas Cabochan as members of the board.

Don Caringal was appointed secretary-general while two board seats are reserved for male and female athlete representatives.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said they have relinquished the ‘caretaker’ status of the national team and returned it to the PNVF.

‘This is a committed team and I believe they could sustain the progress of volleyball,’ said Tolentino.

President Marcos Jr. tells us that some issues were skipped in last month’s SONA because of time constraints. One of those issues, presumably, was how to save our economy from sinking even more.

The official tally put our second quarter GDP growth rate at a miserable 2.3 percent. This confirms the direst forecast of independent economists from the private sector.

At that pace of growth, the Philippines is now the slowest expanding economy among the ASEAN 6 – by a mile. Media reports say this is the worst performance of our economy in five years. But five years ago, we were in the midst of a pandemic and the whole society was on lockdown. Still, we managed to post growth that is only slightly less than the numbers we now see.

This is the worst performance of our economy since 2009, in the wake of the global financial crisis. But even that comparison will not be fair. In 2009, our economic fundamentals remained strong and ready to bounce back. Which we did.

The latest quarterly numbers is actually the weakest quarterly performance since 2000. We know what happened in the first months of 2001. The do-nothing Estrada presidency was ousted, allowing the country to somehow recover its bearings.

By comparison, our current performance is underpinned by weak fundamentals. Our gross international reserves have declined – suggesting we were burning foreign exchange to prop up the peso. Our manufacturing output dropped sharply, due principally to the collapse of public works spending. Our unemployment rate is inching up. Business confidence is shattered by the corruption scandal.

We are buried in debt. In four years, the Marcos II administration borrowed more money than the entirety of the Duterte administration. And the Duterte administration was fighting a pandemic.

Our debt-to-GDP ratio is now at 66 percent. The accepted prudential level is 60 percent. This will eventually reflect in the interest rate level of our debt. An even larger share of the national budget will go to debt service – thereby starving economic investments for many years to come.

The Duterte administration left office with the economy galloping at seven percent growth. Since Marcos Jr. took over, our growth rate descended consistently. In the second quarter of 2025, our growth rate descended to 5.4 percent. This last quarter, it is half that.

It is as if our economy is caught in a whirlpool. The descent of the growth rate is the trend. The momentum leads us to greater misery.

Discount the inflation rate from the nominal growth rate, our economy is actually contracting. We are not just trapped in stagflation. We are effectively in a recession.

Household consumption, accounting for two-thirds of the economy, slowed to 2.8 percent. Inflation is killing us.

Look at the numbers of other countries in our economic community. In the second quarter, Vietnam grew by 8.4 percent. All the rest, except us, are growing at well over five percent. It is only us effectively receding.

We will eat the dust of our major ASEAN neighbors. Our economy is not only the Sick Man of the ASEAN. Our economy is in intensive care. It should be, except that our government does not seem to care.

The comparative numbers are damning. All the economies in the region suffer from the fallout of Trump’s insane war against Iran. External adversity is not an excuse for our being in dire straits. Our government has failed us. Miserably. Utterly.

Break down the numbers. In the second quarter, investments (gross capital formation) shrunk by -9.2 percent. That is not a small number. This speaks volumes about business confidence in the manner this country is governed. More precisely, misgoverned.

Our industry contracted -2.4 percent. Construction slowed down massively at -13.9 percent. Mining industries shrunk by -9.8 percent.

Industry is the sector on which we depend so much to power into the future. It is shrinking.

Former finance secretary Gary Teves put out an analysis of the recently released GDP numbers. He drew up a list of what government can do to pull us out of this predicament.

Topping that list is holding accountable ranking officials implicated in the flood control mess. Those found guilty must be jailed and as much as possible of the stolen funds returned. Confidence that steps are taken to curb corruption needs to be restored.

Government must accelerate infra spending without sacrificing transparency and quality. Civil society groups must be enlisted in monitoring the projects.

Government needs to do better at addressing inflation. Beyond increasing the threshold for income taxes, government needs to address the supply side factors by raising agricultural productivity and improving our supply chains.

Government needs to relentlessly address issues concerning the ease and cost of doing business. This could be done through an aggressive campaign to digitalize government processes.

More effort is needed to manage fiscal resources prudently and transparently. A greater role for citizen participation in the budget process should be encouraged.

We need to sustain investments in agriculture and industry, especially in strengthening supply chain infrastructure that will minimize post-harvest losses. A more efficient supply chain will help curb price spikes.

The SONA, if it was forward-looking and in better touch with our economic realities, would have benefitted from discussing policies related to the above recommendations. Unfortunately, that speech was composed for applause lines and cheap popularity points.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will seek posthumous recognition for a policeman who died after rescuing two Bantay Dagat members who were swept away by a strong river current in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental last week.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the family of M/Sgt. Fernando Marfa would receive the assistance and benefits due to an officer who died in the line of duty.

Marfa, 40, was a member of the Cadiz component city police station. He was on a seaborne patrol mission in Sitio Bisang, Barangay Luna on Aug. 7 when two Bantay Dagat members were swept away while crossing a river.

Seeing the two, Marfa jumped into the river and rescued both men.

However, he was swept downstream and found only after an hour of search. Responders rushed him to the Cadiz District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Following a successful Manila kickoff that drew nearly 7,000 attendees, the EastWest Dream Run 2026 heads to Clark for the second stop of its four-leg race series, offering participants a unique running experience at the scenic Filinvest Mimosa Plus Estate.

Set against the sprawling greenery of Filinvest Mimosa Plus, runners can look forward to one of the most picturesque race routes in the Dream Run series. The leisure estate is known for its tree-lined roads, expansive open spaces, shimmering lakes, mountain backdrops and the world-class Mimosa Plus Golf Course, creating the perfect setting for a refreshing run away from the bustle of the city.

The event also aligns with the Bank’s partnership with the Department of Tourism’s Love the Philippines campaign, showcasing Clark as a top destination for sports tourism.

“The incredible energy we witnessed in Manila showed us that there are thousands of dreamers ready to take the next step toward their goals,” said Martin Reyes, EastWest chief marketing officer. “We’re excited to bring that spirit to Clark and create another memorable experience that inspires participants to keep chasing their dreams.”

EastWest cardholders can make their race weekend even more rewarding through the EastWest Dream Run Php500 Rebate Promo, allowing eligible participants to enjoy savings on their registration when they use their qualified EastWest credit card.

Runners were treated to massage and yoga sessions after the race to cool down, relax, and recover After crossing the finish line, runners can recharge at the EastWest Horizons Recovery Lounge, a dedicated post-race space designed to help participants cool down, relax, and recover. The lounge offers massage and yoga sessions, part of EastWest’s commitment to delivering a premium race-day experience that supports runners beyond the finish line.

Runners can also look forward to exciting raffle prizes, giveaways, and special treats from EastWest and its partners, including Filinvest, Filinvest Land Inc., Visa, Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, Mimosa Plus, EastWest Rural Bank, Nutribullet, Dyson, ConcepStore, Mizuno, Columbia Sportswear, Saucony, Colgate Plax, Ford, Puregold, REV*, Mogu Mogu, Aqua Planet, Chlorelief, Salonpas and DailyFix.

Moreover, participants can turn race day into a staycation with up to 40% off room rates at Quest Plus Conference Center Clark and enjoy a 10% discount at Firehouse Pizza Clark and La Loca by presenting their race bib.

Whether aiming for a new personal best, running with friends and family, or simply enjoying the atmosphere, participants can expect a day filled with memorable experiences, exciting rewards, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is infusing P20 billion worth of mall and hotel assets into AREIT Inc. in a transaction that will expand the real estate investment trust’s assets under management to P179 billion.

ALI said the infusion would not only expand AREIT’s assets under management, but also further diversify its asset base across malls, offices, hotels and industrial land.

Under the proposed transaction, ALI and the subsidiaries will subscribe to 462.48 million AREIT primary common shares in exchange for Glorietta 4 Mall in Makati, Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod, Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf in Quezon City, New World Makati Hotel in Makati and Seda Vertis North in Quezon City.

The assets have an aggregate transaction value of P17.33 billion at an exchange price of P37.48 per share.

AREIT’s board also approved the cash acquisition of Fairmont Raffles Hotel Makati from ALI subsidiary ALI Makati Hotel and Residences Inc. for P2.62 billion.

The proposed mall infusions will be structured under direct lease arrangements, consistent with AREIT’s existing office portfolio, enabling AREIT to directly recognize rental income from the underlying retail leases.

The hotel infusions, meanwhile, will be structured under a hybrid master lease arrangement consisting of a fixed base rent and a variable component linked to hotel revenues, providing a combination of stable recurring income and participation in operating performance.

Totaling nearly 350,000 square meters of building gross leasable area, the additional assets will increase AREIT’s total GLA to five million sqm, consisting of 2.2 million sqm of building GLA and 2.9 million sqm of industrial land.

Post-transaction, offices will comprise 53 percent of AREIT’s P179 billion assets under management, while retail, hotels and land will account for 33 percent, nine percent and five, respectively.

‘The proposed infusions also represent an important step in the evolution of AREIT’s growth model, with the direct and hybrid lease structures expected to provide additional participation in the underlying operating performance of these assets beyond traditional contractual rental escalations,’ AREIT president and CEO Alberto de Larrazabal said.

ALI said the cash proceeds generated from AREIT infusions are strategically redeployed to fund its pipeline of leasing and hospitality assets.

The company maintains majority ownership and full consolidation of these infused properties, ensuring they remain a core part of the long-term portfolio while strategically unlocking capital to fuel future growth.

ALI posted revenues of P37.5 billion and net income of P6.1 billion in the second quarter, a sequential growth of 13 percent versus the prior quarter despite challenges in the operating environment.

Alex Eala’s amazing streak came to an end in Toronto yesterday.

After seven wins in a row, the Filipina sensation succumbed to ex-Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, 4-6, 0-6, crashing out in the WTA 1000 National Bank Open Round of 16 at Sobeys Stadium.

Eala stayed in the fight after a close opener, but the world No. 14 showed why she’s a 10-time WTA champion and 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, delivering a bagel in the second to seal it in 73 minutes.

The win sent the 29-year-old Swiss into the quarterfinals against world No. 4 Coco Gauff, marking her third straight quarterfinal in Canada.

Bencic silenced a roaring pro-Eala crowd – including a superfan dressed as a raptor in a nod to Toronto’s NBA team – that had been behind Eala since her breakthrough title run in Washington.

‘I know most of you guys were cheering for Alex but I still have to say it was very nice for me to play in front of you all. Thank you so much for the great crowd tonight,’ Bencic said.

Bencic admitted she doesn’t love facing lefties.

‘I feel like it can’t be coincidental. It’s weird for me as well because I really hate playing lefties and it’s just not comfortable. But maybe I feel like it because I have good timing,’ she said.

For Eala, the loss ended the longest winning streak of her career and the longest active streak on the WTA Tour at the time. It followed a gritty 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over No. 70 Caty McNally where she battled an ankle scare, and a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win over No. 71 Alycia Parks after a first-round bye.

The run was built on her maiden WTA title at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, where she rallied to beat top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to become the first Filipina to win a WTA Tour singles title, beating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka along the way.

‘It’s a tough one. Belinda put me in really tough situations. She played really well. But overall, it was really a good week for me. I’m super happy with the run that I’ve had,’ Eala said. ‘It’s been an amazing debut in Toronto. I’m super grateful for the experience… I will take maybe two days off and then, I’ll be back.’

Next up: the Cincinnati Open, a WTA 1000 event starting Thursday, her final build-up to the US Open on Aug. 30-Sept. 13 in Flushing Meadows.