Category: Philippine Star

Delays in the issuance of government permits are forcing Philippine property developers to postpone project launches, raising the risk of tighter housing supply and weaker construction activity even as demand remains resilient.

Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) President and Chief Executive Officer Franco Soberano said delays in securing Licenses to Sell, or LTS, have effectively disrupted about a year’s worth of the developer’s planned launches, limiting the amount of new residential inventory it can bring to the market.

‘The challenge … has really affected our one-year source of launches,’ Soberano said during an online briefing for investors and analysts.

The bottleneck has consequences beyond developers’ sales pipelines, Soberano said, as delayed projects mean fewer orders for construction materials and fewer jobs generated by new developments.

The slowdown comes as the Philippine housing market continues to face a substantial supply gap. Soberano said more than 30,000 units are expected to be delivered across the market this year, underscoring the potential impact of delays in bringing additional projects online.

CLI is now preparing to accelerate launches after regulators reversed a move to centralize LTS reviews and returned the process to a decentralized system in recent weeks.

The company expects to launch four projects within the next month, including its Alto condominium project in Cebu, housing developments in Ormoc City and Bogo City, and an economic housing project in southern Cebu.

The Bogo development is aimed at meeting housing demand in the city, which was affected by last year’s earthquake. CLI’s economic housing projects are priced between about P3 million and P7 million, targeting middle- and lower-income households.

For developers, the ability to replenish inventory is critical as regulatory delays can push back sales, construction schedules and the deployment of capital.

The issue has also prompted broader concern across the property industry.

Anthony Leuterio, national president of A Better Real Estate Philippines, said the pace of LTS approvals has fallen sharply. He said only about 93 permits had been issued so far this year, compared with roughly 800 to 900 in 2025.

The LTS, issued by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, is required before developers can legally market and sell subdivision lots and condominium units.

‘We have to push this because they are very slow in processing LTS,’ Leuterio said. ‘They need to catch up because there will be an issue on the economic side.’

A prolonged slowdown could result in a widening mismatch between housing demand and new supply, with knock-on effects on construction employment, building-material demand and government revenues from taxes and fees, Leuterio said.

The concern extends beyond the property industry. Real estate and construction generate activity across a wide network of contractors, architects, engineers, brokers, suppliers and transport providers, making project delays a potential drag on broader economic activity.

Colliers Philippines has also identified LTS processing as a key regulatory risk for the residential market.

Joey Roi Bondoc, head of research at Colliers Philippines, said developers cannot market residential projects until an LTS is secured, effectively keeping completed plans and capital commitments in the regulatory pipeline.

‘The LTS issue would be a major concern,’ Bondoc said.

Slower approvals could restrict the number of projects entering the market, potentially putting further pressure on residential prices as developers contend with higher land and construction costs.

‘You’re restricting the available supply in the market,’ Bondoc said. ‘If you don’t build now, how can you entice potential buyers?’

The delays also have financial implications for developers, potentially postponing revenue generation while capital remains tied up in projects awaiting regulatory clearance. For an industry already managing higher development costs, extended approval periods can affect investment timing and project economics.

Bondoc said faster processing would allow developers to expand their project pipelines across price segments, giving buyers more choices while helping address the country’s housing shortage.

‘We need to launch more projects and approve more Licenses to Sell because more options in the market will benefit both developers and buyers,’ he said.

For CLI, the immediate priority is to make up for delayed launches and convert projects held back by the approval bottleneck into new inventory.

Soberano said the company remains confident in the regulatory process and expects the return to decentralized reviews to improve processing times.

‘We’re just happy that we can restart and then bring that new inventory,’ he said.

The resumption of launches comes at a critical juncture for the Philippine housing market. If approvals accelerate, developers could begin rebuilding their pipelines and releasing projects that have been held back. If delays persist, however, the resulting supply constraints could increasingly weigh on housing affordability, construction activity and investment.

ACEN Corp. of the Zobel family has added up to P1 billion in financing for its subsidiary developing the massive Quezon North Wind Power Project.

In a regulatory filing yesterday, ACEN said it had entered into another short-term loan agreement with Giga Ace 6 Inc., the company behind the wind project straddling the municipalities of Real and Mauban in Quezon.

With a planned capacity of 344.5 megawatts (MW), Quezon North Wind marks the first phase of ACEN’s broader wind power development in the province, targeted for completion by 2027.

The company is also lining up a 208-MW second phase, which would bring the project’s combined capacity to around 553 MW.

Upon completion, Quezon North Wind is expected to generate about 1,730 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean power annually.

The latest financing follows the short-term loan of up to P3 billion that ACEN provided in May and another P900 million in October last year.

Quezon North Wind also earlier secured a P34.41-billion senior green term loan facility from Bank of the Philippine Islands, BDO Unibank Inc. and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

The project forms part of ACEN’s nearly 1,000 MW of wind assets in operation and under construction in the Philippines, according to the latest company data.

Recently, ACEN completed the second and final phase of its maintenance and repair program for the 52-MW NorthWind project in Bangui Bay, Ilocos Norte, one of the pioneering wind farms in Southeast Asia.

As a result, the project is projected to generate an additional 769 GWh of renewable electricity over the next 10 years, enough to power 188,000 households and displace around 592,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

‘NorthWind demonstrates how strategic investments can maximize the value of infrastructure that’s already connected to the grid, reduce unnecessary waste from premature decommissioning and continue delivering clean, reliable power to Filipino consumers,’ said Miguel de Jesus, ACEN COO of Philippine operations.

In the first half, ACEN’s renewable energy projects in the Philippines delivered a 17-percent increase in power generation to 1,091 GWh, propelled by the restoration of its wind farms in Ilocos Norte.

The company reported an attributable net income of P3.9 billion during the six-month period, 411 percent higher than the P763 million earned a year ago.

Defending champion Abra Solid North and Batangas City beat their opponents on Wednesday to keep top spot in their respective divisions in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Batangas City Coliseum.

The Abra Weavers routed the Bulacan Kuyas, 110-84, in the first game, while the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics thwarted the Imus Yangkees, 88-80, in the nightcap of another triple-bill in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 26-team tournament.

Abra extended its winning run to 17 and climbed to a 19-1 record in the North Division, ahead of San Juan (16-2), Caloocan (17-3) and Ilagan Isabela (13-8) in the chase for playoff spots.

Batangas quelled Imus’ final rally to rise to 16-3 in the South Division, where it towed Quezon Province (13-3), Binan (17-4), Gensan (15-4) and Cebu (17-5).

The Cebu Greats trounced the Ilagan Isabela Cowboys, 80-52, in the second game to keep in line for a top-four finish and the home-court advantage that goes with it in the quarterfinal playoffs.

Mark Meneses led Cebu with 14 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Wowie Escosio with 10 points and six rebounds; homegrown Elmer Echavez with nine points and three rebounds; and Cebuano legend Dondon Hontiveros with nine points, all from triples.

Simon Camacho was chosen Best Player, however, with an all-around performance with 17 rebounds, six points, four assists, three blocks and one steal.

Impressive as the Greats were, Camacho warned they could play even better.

“I feel this isn’t our best yet. This team has something more to offer,” said the 6-foot-5 Camacho.

Only Jayboy Solis hit his stride for the Cowboys with 10 points and three rebounds, while Arth Dela Cruz settled for 14 rebounds, six points, seven assists and two blocks.

Dave Ildefonso, the reigning MVP, posted 23 points, seven assists and two rebounds to capture his fifth straight Best Player citation for Abra.

Alfred Batino supported with 13 points and six rebounds; Raven Gonzales, last year’s top rookie, contributed 13 points and four rebounds; Jake Figueroa chalked up 10 points, seven assists, five steals and four rebounds; and 6-foot-8 Drex Delos Reyes carded 10 points plus two rebounds.

The Weavers dominated both boards, 47-30, and exploited this advantage to outscore the Kuyas, 72-26, in the paint.

Bulacan slipped to 5-16 despite Benedict Benedictos’ 29 points, laden with nine triples, three assists and two rebounds; Andrei Acop’s 12 points and seven rebounds; and Jeremy Cruz’s 12 points and two assists.

Batangas led as far as 63-38, midway through the third quarter, but Imus turned hot in the fourth and threatened, 78-81, after back-to-back triples by Dylan Darbin and Meray Merada.

Batangas’ Ino Comboy, however, drilled in a triple and Oliver Arim drove in to seal the outcome, 86-78, with 41.3 seconds left.

Rhinwill Yambing paced Batangas with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists; Cedrick Ablaza with 12 points, 12 rebounds and two assists; homegrown Nikki Perez with 11 points and four rebounds; and Jhan Nermal with nine points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals.

Imus tumbled to 3-16 despite Darbin’s 27 points, six rebounds and two assists; Ian Pardo’s 16 points and four assists; and John Calma’s 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

The tournament returns to the One Arena Cainta in Rizal Province on Thursday, featuring games between Manila and Marikina at 3 p.m.; Paranaque and Quezon Province at 5 p.m.; and Pasig and Negros at 7 p.m

The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival has partnered with Ayala Malls Cinemas to screen all of its competing films in select theaters for its 2026 edition.

The partnership will bring seven full-length films and 20 student-made short films to six locations across Metro Manila:

Trinoma in Quezon City

Fairview Terraces in Quezon City

Market! Market! in Taguig

Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig

Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque

Ayala Malls Circuit in Makati

Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad said in a statement the partnership will help the festival reach a wider audience, “As the festival continues to grow, we truly value partnerships like this that stand by the cause of unleashing Filipino cinema’s untapped potential.” Ayala Malls Head of Ancillary Business Yvette Roldan meanwhile said the partnership was a natural fit because of CinePanalo’s focus on Filipino stories and filmmakers as the festival’s advocacy aligned with the company’s vision and values.

“At its core, CinePanalo puts the Filipino audience first – highlighting stories that reflect their lives, dreams, and everyday victories,” said the executive.

Roldan added that the festival’s support for student and regional filmmakers promotes collaboration and inclusivity within the local film industry.

The 2026 CinePanalo Film Festival marks the third edition of the annual event, which aims to support Filipino filmmakers and provide a platform for original local stories.

As the financial services industry continues to evolve, financing companies are under increasing pressure to improve collections performance while delivering a more customer-centric experience. Rising customer expectations, growing account volumes, and the need for greater operational efficiency are driving organizations to adopt AI-powered solutions that enable more effective and scalable collections.

South Asialink Finance Corporation (SAFC), one of the Philippines’ leading financing companies, is strengthening its collections operations by adopting AI Rudder’s conversational AI technology.

As its customer base continues to grow, SAFC is investing in intelligent automation to enhance collection efficiency, improve customer outreach, and enable its collections teams to focus on higher-value interactions.

To support these efforts, SAFC has partnered with AI Rudder, a Singapore-headquartered enterprise conversational AI company, to deploy its AI Voice Agent solution.

Designed specifically for high-volume customer engagement, AI Voice Agent conducts natural, two-way voice conversations with customers, enabling timely payment reminders, account follow-ups and collections outreach at scale. Powered by advanced conversational AI, the solution delivers real-time, human-like interactions while ensuring consistent communication across every customer touchpoint.

By integrating AI Voice Agent into its collections workflow, SAFC is enhancing the efficiency of routine collections activities while allowing its collections specialists to focus on more complex cases that require empathy, negotiation, and human judgment. The solution also helps improve operational productivity, increase customer reach, and provide a more consistent and convenient experience throughout the collections journey.

The collaboration reflects SAFC’s ongoing commitment to modernizing its collections strategy through innovation. By leveraging conversational AI, the company is building a more agile and scalable collections operation that supports sustainable business growth while maintaining a customer-first approach.

“Our customers expect timely, convenient, and respectful communication throughout their financial journey. As our business continues to expand, we are committed to adopting technologies that help us strengthen our collections operations while delivering a better customer experience. This partnership with AI Rudder reflects our commitment to investing in the right tools that allow us to better serve our customers and operate more efficiently,” said Maricel D. Dejongoy, SAFC president and chief executive officer.

“We’re excited to partner with SAFC as they transform their collections operations with conversational AI. Collections today are no longer just about improving operational efficiency; they’re also about creating better customer experiences through timely, personalized, and empathetic engagement. Our AI Voice Agent helps financial institutions scale their outreach while empowering human agents to focus on conversations where they can create the greatest value,” said Bianca Cheng, chief marketing and revenue officer of AI Rudder.

The collaboration between SAFC and AI Rudder reflects the growing adoption of conversational AI across the financial services industry. By combining SAFC’s expertise in consumer financing with AI Rudder’s advanced AI Voice Agent technology, both organizations are working to build smarter, more efficient and customer-centric collections that support stronger business outcomes and long-term customer relationships.

The Cebu City Government is hosting today, August 13, the final leg of the Department of Agriculture and the National African Swine Fever Prevention and Control Program’s three city information drive.

The ASF information caravan comes on the heels of Cebu City’s July outbreak in Barangay Quiot, where nearly twenty pigs were culled and losses reached hundreds of thousands of pesos.

Prior to the caravan, Mayor Nestor Archival met with partner agencies in a courtesy gathering led by the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF), under Dr. Jessica Maribojoc.

The mayor stressed that the caravan is more than a technical exercise-it is a lifeline for those whose livelihoods are at risk.

‘This is about taking care of our hog raisers and ensuring food security for our people,’ Archival said. ‘Padayon ta sa paghatag og sakto nga impormasyon ug suporta aron maprotektahan ang atong hog raisers, ilang panginabuhian, ug ang atong livestock sector.’

He emphasized that the program also connects farmers to government support such as the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and insurance programs through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

The caravan began in Bogo City on August 11, moved to Carcar City yesterday and culminates in Cebu City today.

Each stop has brought together local government units, livestock stakeholders, and technical agencies to strengthen awareness and compliance with biosecurity measures.

In Cebu City, discussions will cover ASF updates at national, regional, and provincial levels, animal movement regulations, meat safety standards, and the proper use of the PCSP Biosecurity Checklist.

An open forum will allow participants to raise concerns directly with experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry, provincial veterinary offices, and DA Regional Field Office 7.

ASF has been a persistent threat to the Philippine hog industry since its first detection in Rizal in 2019, causing losses estimated at P100 billion nationwide and slashing pork production by more than 40 percent in 2021.

Cebu City’s July local outbreak stresses the vulnerability of backyard hog raising, prompting the city to impose strict border controls and transport documentation requirements under an Executive Order from the Mayor.

Authorities warn that ASF is highly resilient, capable of surviving for months in contaminated environments and years in frozen meat, making vigilance and education critical.

A tight race is expected if a hypothetical tandem of Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo and Sen. Raffy Tulfo faces the tandem of Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos in the 2028 elections, according to a survey conducted by the OCTA Research group.

Results of the July 4 to 11 survey showed that 45 percent of the respondents would support Robredo and Tulfo if they ran together for president and vice president, respectively.

It was slightly up but statistically tied with the 42 percent who said they would support a Duterte-Marcos tandem.

The remaining 13 percent either said none, don’t know or refused to answer the survey question.

Support for Robredo and Tulfo increased from 44 percent compared to a similar survey in March, while support for Duterte and Marcos increased from 40 percent.

OCTA said the results showed that a tandem landscape remains highly competitive and unsettled.

‘The central implication of the results is that Robredo-Tulfo and Duterte-Marcos are now statistically in a dead heat,’ it said.

‘With 13 percent of the electorate still undecided, rejecting both tandems or declining to answer, a meaningful share of voters have yet to commit to either side, leaving real room for the national picture to move further in either direction before 2028,’ it added.

Among the four, only Duterte had declared her intention to run for higher office in 2028. Robredo has ruled out another presidential bid and said she prefers to run for a second term as Naga City mayor.

The Alas Pilipinas Girls flew to Chile armed with nothing but a dream.

They never imagined they would leave a lasting impact for Philippine volleyball.

Whether it’s somewhere from ninth to 16th place, the Filipinas have already set a new benchmark as the highest placed national team in the sport on the global stage.

The 25-21, 25-18, 25-14 loss Thursday to South Korea in the Round of 16 of the FIVB Volleyball Girls U17 World Championship at the Liceo Mixto Los Andes, while painful, has become inconsequential considering the legacy Alas would leave by just making it this far.

These young, valiant girls would be remembered for reaching what no other Philippine squad before them has reached before.

This extraordinary league of gentle ladies have just eclipsed the old standard set by the Bryan Bagunas-led men’s squad that finished 19th in the FIVB Men’s World Championship the Philippines hosted last year, and the women’s side that ended up 18th in the 1974 Women’s World Championship in Mexico.

Alas will play Japan, another Asian powerhouse, in the losers’ quarterfinals Friday at the National Stadium Park in the Chilean capital in Santiago.

The best that can happen for the Edwin Leyva-mentored Nationals is a ninth-place finish, assuming they end up winning three straight matches starting with the Japanese.

But whatever happens, Alas had accomplished what it had originally set out for and would go home with one clear realization – dreams can come true.

Actress Jodi Sta. Maria looked to her own experiences as a mother and child to better understand her and Agot Isidro’s characters in their movie “Ganito, Ganyan, Ganoon.”

Jodi plays television writer Joanne or Jo set on a big career move, until the return of her mother Paz (Agot) throws her off course and makes her confront buried childhood wounds – pain that molded and affects her until today.

Both actresses and director Cholo Laurel sat down with members of the media, including Philstar.com, ahead of the film’s August 13 release on Netflix to discuss the characterization of their characters.

“Tina-try kong intindihin si Paz kasi bilang nanay, paano siya umabot sa ganoon? Paano niya iniwan [si Jo]?” said Jodi. “Kasi kung ako, kahit ano mangyari, ilalaban at ilalaban mo ang anak mo, sa hirap at ginhawa magsasama kayo.”

Jodi herself is a mother to Thirdy Lacson, her son with ex-husband Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson Jr., who is now engaged to former model-actress Iwa Moto.

On the other hand, she wouldn’t know how to address the issue if she encountered it as a child. Jodi later noted to the media that she never met her biological father, who left the family before she was born and died without ever crossing paths with her. The actress then sought advice from Laurel, who also wrote the film, to better understand Paz and Jo’s relationship.

“May mga bagay na for me may mga butas so kailangan natin pagtagpi-tagpiin,” Jodi continued. “At the end of the day, hindi ko puwede i-judge ‘yung character ko because when I do, I won’t be able to play her, be faithful to her, o bigyan siya ng conviction.”

She and Laurel had numerous discussions to formulate Jo’s characterization, with the director chipping in to compare their conversations to therapy. Jodi agreed with the filmmaker and pointed out the process opened up something within them.

“‘Pag ginawa mo na ‘yung eksena, sometimes you plan at masu-surprise ka na lang na ‘yung plinano mo totally hindi ganun ‘yung mangyayari, so you just go with what’s organic and what’s real,” the actress ended.

Joining Jodi and Agot in the film’s cast are Gabriel Lazaro, Gardo Versoza, Ruby Ruiz, RK Bagatsing, Mitch Valdez, and Angel Aquino.

The United States has funded a new maritime monitoring center in Palawan that will collect real-time reports from Filipino fishers on illegal fishing and suspicious vessel movements, the US Embassy in Manila announced Thursday, August 13.

The Community Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Reporting Center opened on July 30 under a joint effort with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.

Equipped with Starlink satellite internet and EarthRanger data software, the facility will aggregate real-time reports from local fishers on suspected illegal fishing, unusual vessel activity and other illegal activities, the US embassy said. These will then be forwarded to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the National Maritime Center and the Provincial Government of Palawan.

The center operates under “Fish Right,” a program originally launched in 2018 as a USAID initiative focused on marine biodiversity, sustainable seafood supplies and community fisheries management.

Following US President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze and review all foreign aid in January 2025, Fish Right was transferred from the now-defunct USAID to the US State Department.

The program restarted in May 2025 with its broader traditional conservation mandates stripped and a focus now turned toward maritime domain awareness and increasing the US’ strategic presence in the resource-rich waters of the West Philippine Sea.

‘By providing fisherfolk with a safe and accessible way to report suspected illegal fishing and other unlawful maritime activities, this Community IUU Fishing Reporting Center empowers coastal communities to become active partners in protecting our fisheries,’ Drusila Esther Bayate, Department of Agriculture undersecretary for fisheries, said.

US Embassy Officer Taylor Fincher said addressing illegal fishing and related maritime concerns is “an important area of cooperation between the United States and the Philippines.’

Jonathan Fritz, principal deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told reporters in Manila in September 2025 that the Philippines was the first recipient of the Trump administration’s new system of foreign aid, focused on energy resilience, the Luzon Economic Corridor and countering illegal fishing