Category: Philippine Star

The Philippine economy is now seen growing by only three to 3.9 percent this year, with analysts tempering their outlook after a sharper-than-expected second-quarter slowdown exposed persistent weakness in investment and household spending.

Nomura Global Markets Research slashed its 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 3.8 percent from 4.6 percent, while ANZ Research maintained its 3.9-percent projection. Capital Economics was the most pessimistic, forecasting growth of around three percent this year.

The outlooks followed the economy’s disappointing 2.3-percent expansion in the second quarter, slower than 2.8 percent in the first three months and 5.4 percent a year earlier.

Nomura economists Euben Paracuelles and Nabila Amani said the second-quarter slump likely reflected the lingering effects of the flood control corruption scandal compounded by the economic shock from the war in the Middle East.

Taking the weaker outturn into account, Nomura cut its full-year forecast to 3.8 percent, although this remains within the government’s revised 3.5 to 4.5 percent growth target.

The Japanese investment bank still expects some improvement in the latter half of the year, with GDP growth seen accelerating to 4.9 percent in the second half from 2.6 percent in the first six months.

Nomura said the recovery would be supported by favorable base effects and an expected push by the government to catch up on infrastructure spending after prolonged fiscal underspending.

However, it flagged considerable uncertainty surrounding the recovery, including political risks from the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, lingering uncertainty over the Middle East conflict and limitations to the boost that artificial intelligence-related demand could provide to Philippine electronics exports.

Capital Economics senior Asia economist Gareth Leather has an even more downbeat assessment, forecasting GDP growth of around three percent this year before improving to 4.5 percent in 2027.

He said growth should recover slightly from current levels as lower oil prices help ease inflation and restore some household purchasing power. However, he expects the improvement to be gradual as the anti-corruption drive continues to weigh on investment while higher borrowing costs restrain economic activity.

Leather also said the weakness of the economy contrasts with much of the region, where several economies managed to withstand higher energy prices and post stronger second-quarter growth.

Domestic demand was the biggest source of weakness in the second quarter. Household consumption growth slowed further to 2.8 percent, the weakest since the pandemic and well below the 5.9-percent average recorded from 2010 to 2019.

Investment was an even bigger drag, with gross fixed capital formation contracting by 13.7 percent as public construction continued to deteriorate.

ANZ similarly said the recovery in investment would be critical to the economic outlook, particularly after public infrastructure capital outlays had been declining since July last year.

‘A recovery in infrastructure spending from the third quarter, as indicated by the authorities, will be a key determinant of whether growth can regain momentum,’ ANZ said.

The research firm maintained its 2026 growth forecast at 3.9 percent, saying moderating inflation should provide some support to household demand while stronger exports and government consumption could partly offset softness elsewhere in the economy.

Still, ANZ warned that the country faces elevated inflation and external headwinds, with food prices potentially coming under renewed pressure from El Niño.

‘With inflation moderating in July and growth slowing, the pressure on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to hike rates at this month’s monetary policy meeting will reduce,’ ANZ said.

Despite the weak GDP figures, the research houses generally expect the BSP to remain cautious about abandoning its tightening cycle while inflation stays above its two to four percent target.

Nomura maintained its call for two more 25-basis-point rate hikes in August and October, saying the central bank remains focused on bringing inflation back toward target and preventing inflation expectations from becoming unanchored.

Capital Economics expects only one final 25-basis-point increase at the BSP’s Aug. 27 meeting before the tightening cycle ends, followed by possible rate cuts from early 2027 if inflation continues to ease.

Filipinos around the world are now singing the personal mantra of international tennis star Alexandra Eala. And for that matter, the tennis world is now listening and learning also in their hearts and minds the melody of Eala’s motto: ‘Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto.’ And it’s beginning to sound like a nation’s hymn to Eala’s feats achieved in this lifetime.

At the recently concluded Wimbledon 2026, Eala was first noticed wearing her usual Nike cap. At 5’9′ height, taller than the average Filipina, she puts on her cap to keep in place her long black hair in a pony tail. But what makes it unique is that Eala’s mantra is embroidered on the back of the cap.

As Eala succinctly explained: ‘Every dream begins as a seed. Once it grows, it cannot be stopped.’ She posted this in her Instagram account after becoming the first Filipino to reach the third round at Wimbledon, where she beat reigning champion Iga Swiatek of Poland in a major third-round upset.

The 21-year-old Eala inspires all of us with her wisdom at such young age.

No wonder even President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) could not help becoming a fan boy, gushing at Eala’s Wimbledon feat.

Eala was ranked No. 29 at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships. Thus, Eala made history as the first player from the Philippines ever to be seeded in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. Her historic run in the tournament ultimately ended with the fourth-round loss to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.

But with her resilience and unrelenting pursuit of her campaign in the international tennis courts, Eala drew another first-time ever feat. She grabbed last week the Mubadala 2026 DC Open Championship for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). The Mubadala Open is a prestigious professional WTA 500-level outdoor hardcourt tennis tournament held annually in Washington, D.C.

Fresh from her DC rout of the world’s top-seeded women tennis stars, Eala continued sowing seeds of victories here and there in her tennis journey. From DC, she flew directly to Toronto, Canada where she drew another round of raves and chants from humongous Filipino communities in North America.

After her first game victory in Toronto, Eala spoke in Tagalog to the wild delight of Filipinos watching, cheering and waving the Philippine flag in the stands. Wearing the heart of sports heroine, she politely declined a fan’s request to sign her name over the Philippine flag as souvenir.

‘And the emotions continued to spill over when she turned to the crowd that had carried her through the latest chapter of what is now a seven-match winning streak, including the five victories that delivered her a historic WTA title in Washington last week.’ The STAR Sports Section capped its report on Eala’s struggle to defeat Caty McNally of the US last Saturday.

After the two-hour, 39-minute battle at Center Court of the Sobeys Stadium with McNally, Eala sought to assuage her fans. They saw her bothered by ankle injury in the middle of the game. ‘I’m OK,’ Eala told her fans. A few seconds of gathering her thoughts, she added: ‘Yeah, I think I survived. It was so tough.’

Another stellar event that has embraced and imbibed Eala’s mantra is the forthcoming launch of a ‘sounding rocket’ as proudly announced by PBBM. In his penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Congress last July 27, PBBM asked all Filipinos to watch out soon the rocket launching from our first-ever space port that will kick off our country’s journey into outer space.

Dubbed as the ‘Siklab’ rocket program, Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) director-general Gay Jane Perez took off from Eala’s mantra during our weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last week. ‘It is our goal to develop our local space industry so that Filipino talent takes the option to not only to stay but thrive here at home. Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto,’ Perez waxed lyrical.

‘The phrase gives hope. Sometimes life is tough. Life knocks you down but the hope of achieving your dreams is what keeps you going. Whether it’s me, it’s you, I think everybody deserves to dream big. And everybody has the right to go for the dreams they have,’ Perez pointed out.

The PhilSA has been undertaking this project since 2022 under a public-private partnership (PPP) model involving private partners Ascend International Gateway Inc. and South Korea’s Perigee Aerospace Inc. Also involved are two other government agencies – the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) headed by administrator and chief executive officer Katrina Ponce-Enrile and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda. Both PhilSA and CEZA are agencies attached to the Office of the President.

Aguda said the country’s upcoming sounding rocket launching pad site is aimed at positioning the country as a major player in the global rocket launch industry, rather than just being an observer and consumer of space and satellite-based services and infrastructure. Aguda underscored the significance of locating our country’s first space port near the earth’s equator as the biggest come-on for the trillion-dollar space-related industry.

Enrile explained the areas around the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in the municipality of Santa Ana fit the requirements for this purpose. She cited the decision of South Korea’s Perigee Aerospace to establish an assembly, integration and testing (AIT) facility on Philippine soil as concrete proof of international investor confidence in this ‘space corridor ecosystem’ that will grow out of this Siklab rocket launch.

Enrile added that space-based applications resulting from the corridor will directly benefit everyday Filipinos by providing precision agriculture data for farmers, accurate ocean monitoring and weather forecasting for fisherfolk, enhanced typhoon tracking for disaster preparedness and improved maritime domain awareness for our archipelagic nation.

She believes the geographic advantages and existing infrastructure of the CEZA freeport zone will enable the space corridor to sow the seeds across the world – and even into space – in propelling the Philippine economy.

Host-vlogger Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla pushed back against renewed criticism of a 2022 vlog in which she appeared to credit her husband, Sen. Robin Padilla, with helping pass a law before he became a lawmaker.

In a video posted Sunday, Aug. 9, Mariel said her remarks had been taken literally and argued that she had been referring to how Robin’s experience with firearms laws figured into discussions surrounding Republic Act 8294.

“Tinatanong ng mga tao, anong gagawin niyan?” Mariel recalled telling viewers in 2022, when Robin was running for senator for the first time. Her husband appears briefly in the background.

‘So, sinabi ko nasa Bilibid pa lang siya, eh, gumagawa na sila ng batas. Tinake ‘yan literally. Siyempre hindi ka makakapasa ng batas kung hindi ka senator,’ Mariel said.

Mariel further argued that Robin’s case became associated with the issue addressed by RA 8294, which amended laws on illegal possession of firearms.

“When Robin was in Bilibid, his case became closely associated with the issue that RA 8294 addressed – illegal possession of firearms. RA 8294 was enacted in 1997 while he was incarcerated. Now, IF gamitin natin ang talino na binigay sa atin ng Maykapal… sino kaya ang nag-draft at nagpasa ng bill na naging RA 8294? Obviously, legislators,” she wrote.

Robin was jailed in 1994 for illegal possession of firearms and was granted conditional pardon by former President Fidel V. Ramos four years later.

In 2016, former President Rodrigo Duterte granted him absolute pardon, restoring his political rights ahead of his successful Senate run in 2022 on the slate of the Uniteam alliance of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte. The political tandem eventually won the presidential and vice-presidential race in the 2022 national elections before the two top officials had a rift.

Mariel said Robin’s experience had been used as a case study in discussions surrounding amendments to the firearms law. Robin also appeared in the video to discuss Presidential Decree 1866, signed by Marcos Sr. on June 29, 1983, on the unlawful possession of firearms. The 1983 decree was later amended by RA 8294.

‘That was exactly the point. Robin was NOT a senator then, and I never meant that he literally sat in Congress, authored the bill, and voted for its passage. His experience was being cited to show that even before becoming a senator, he had firsthand experience of how laws – and changes in laws – can directly affect a person’s life,’ Mariel stressed.

‘Context matters. Comprehension matters too,’ Mariel ended.

At least 23 newly hired personnel of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) have completed a three-day comprehensive training and are set to be deployed to various units of the agency.

TEAM Head Hyll Retuya said the new personnel will help address the agency’s staffing shortage, particularly in the field operations, following the departure of several personnel in recent months.

The trainees underwent a comprehensive orientation from Wednesday, Aug. 5, to Friday, Aug. 7, covering traffic enforcement procedures, ticket issuance, city ordinances and other duties they are expected to perform.

Traffic educators facilitated the training on apprehension procedures, including how to properly issue tickets, while personnel from the City Legal Office discussed existing city ordinances relevant to traffic enforcement.

All 23 trainees completed the orientation, allowing them to proceed with their assignments once their appointments are released this week.

Retuya said the new personnel will be assigned to different TEAM departments, including field operations, administration and engineering.

‘We really needed these people kay karon nakuha-kuhaan gyud mi og personnel, at least kani sila nakatapak especially sa field,’ Retuya said.

Retuya said some personnel were removed from the agency in previous months while others have resigned from their posts.

‘Kani sila atong ipuli,’ he said.

He also reminded the new personnel that TEAM has a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption and warned them that violations would result in disciplinary action.

‘Mao gyud nay pinaka permiro, akoy permiro nga ni sit in nila, mao gyud na akong pabaon permi,’ Retuya said.

He said the agency would not be influenced by the identity or connections of anyone involved in corruption, particularly when there is clear evidence of wrongdoing.

‘Especially kung naa gyud tay glaring nga ebidensya, bisan kinsa pa na iyang backer dinha,’ Retuya said, adding that this is consistent with the mandate of the city administration under Mayor Thadeo Jovito ‘Jonkie’ Ouano not to tolerate wrongdoing.

Retuya said TEAM personnel who commit violations would be removed from the department.

The new hires are expected to be deployed this week once their appointments are released. Those assigned to field operations will initially work alongside senior personnel for guidance.

‘Naa silay kauban katong mga karaan para at least ma train gyud sila,’ Retuya said.

After the observation and training period, the new personnel will eventually be given their own areas of responsibility.

Of the 23 new hires, three are women while 20 are men. Most of them are expected to be assigned to field operations.

The new personnel were hired as job order employees.

Retuya said TEAM currently has around 400 personnel across its different departments, with about 200 assigned to field operations, including mobile units involved in towing and other traffic-related duties.

Being included on any list ranking the wealthiest in the country is a moment that inevitably invites celebration. But in these times when billionaires are viewed increasingly more like Lex Luthor rather than Bruce Wayne, such lists inevitably invite scrutiny because whenever the public sees money concentrated in a few hands, it raises unavoidable questions about inequality and sustainability.

I have always believed that business success and shared prosperity can exist together. Helping other people climb the economic ladder is not incompatible with being successful at business. It is, in fact, a smart and sustainable way to be successful because it strengthens the very ecosystem that makes business possible.

Enterprises don’t exist in a vacuum. In the broader sense, there are networks of supply chains, marketplaces, service industries, labor ecosystems and communities that absorb the risk or soften the shocks, depending on how healthy they are. It is a living system: if one part is weak, the rest eventually feels it. ‘Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay ramdam ng buong katawan.’

It’s too easy to see wealth as a zero-sum concept; meaning, one person’s gains must come at another person’s loss. That belief is economically wrong and socially damaging. When we share opportunity, we are not taking away from ourselves. Instead, we are investing in sustainable growth by creating stability in the places where our own growth rests. That is why I often imagine this as a pyramid: very few at the top, but most at the bottom. And yet, it is the bottom that provides stability.

This is especially true for MSMEs, which are not merely an ‘important sector’ in policy documents but the pulse of real livelihoods. Almost all enterprises in our country and across ASEAN are MSMEs. They employ people. They distribute income even away from the urban centers. They cultivate skills through practical employment. And because of their sheer number and nimble size, they can keep the economy from collapsing when conditions become too hostile for the big guys to maneuver swiftly.

I know first-hand that the health of MSMEs is not separate from the performance of larger corporations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, when the small businesses in the supply chain struggled or shut down, bigger firms felt the shock. When tenants in commercial centers are unable to sustain operations, the ripple continues upwards to the leasing companies. When foot traffic disappears, demand weakens not only for one company, but for entire categories of business.

This is a ‘Circle of Prosperity’ that becomes a business philosophy. When MSMEs do well, they hire people and pay wages. When employees earn better incomes and gain marketable skills, they are more prepared to start small enterprises. As those enterprises grow, they create jobs for others. And when these businesses remain open, they provide stability for the economy.

I believe it is possible to be good at business while also sharing opportunities with others. The moment we treat success as something that can only be preserved by hoarding advantage, we misunderstand what makes success durable in the first place.

This is very important, especially as it concerns those at the top of the pyramid. They often control what happens next, not because they own everything, but because they influence the flow of opportunities. For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the obstacle is rarely lack of talent. It is lack of access. It is lack of networks. It is lack of capital, market access and mentorship.

We’re not talking here about philanthropy; there are plenty of avenues for that. The goal is opportunity with structure that can lead to entrepreneurship, stable livelihoods and ultimately wealth creation that is not dependent on doleouts that strip people of dignity and self-determination.

Along with me on that prestigious list I mentioned at the beginning of this column are some names who have consistently stepped up in helping others succeed. The advantages they secured from established systems – the networks, markets and credibility – they treated them not as the finish lines, but as starting points for helping those at the bottom.

But ‘helping’ must be deliberate, and it must be engineered into systems. Otherwise, it could end up as a one-time assistance. This means sharing value chains through things like supplier development programs, upskilling through mentorship programs and technology sharing and for those who are in a position to influence policy, using their access to reduce regulatory complexity and lowering the barriers to entry.

Anyone, even non-billionaires on the Forbes list, can help. But like Aunt May told Spider-Man, with great power comes great responsibility. Those who can do more should do more. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but it’s the smarter thing to do. There is a broader national interest at stake. Economic integration and digital transformation are changing how competition works. As technology reshapes supply chains and marketplaces, MSMEs need practical upscaling so that the base of this economic pyramid is stable. They need support to adopt digital systems, improve productivity, strengthen quality control and reach customers beyond local limitations. Inclusion in the digital economy will determine whether entrepreneurship remains an open avenue or becomes a privilege reserved only for those already positioned to access it.

When MSMEs are strengthened, the entire economy becomes more adaptive. That’s what makes a country resilient in the face of instability, fragmentation and climate-related risks. It’s not the responsibility of government alone, but also of those in the private sector.

If we want a nation where more Filipinos can rise up that pyramid, then we must treat prosperity as shared work. Believe that doing good at business and doing good for others are not mutually exclusive – they are the same mission viewed from different angles.

Prosperity shared is not prosperity gone.

Nano and microentrepreneurs are a familiar part of everyday Filipino life. They are the sari-sari store owners, home-based food sellers, online entrepreneurs and freelancers who turn their skills and passions into a source of livelihood.

For many Filipinos, entrepreneurship begins out of necessity-a way to provide for their families during difficult times. For others, it starts with a passion they hope to grow into a sustainable business.

Whatever the reason, these small businesses are built on resilience, determination, and the Filipino spirit of diskarte. But while hard work can open doors, sustaining a business requires easy access to a working capital.

From housewife to breadwinner: Ailyn For Ailyn, a housewife from Misamis Oriental, earning an income meant finding a way to support her family while continuing to care for her children at home.

When her husband became seriously ill and could no longer work, Ailyn began selling home-cooked meals and snacks to help cover their daily expenses and medical bills. As her business slowly gained regular customers, another family emergency arose when her mother also needed financial support.

Looking for additional capital, she turned to Tala, allowing her to continue growing her business and eventually open a sari-sari store.

“I used the loan wisely to keep the capital rolling. Even if I’m a housewife taking care of my children, I still want to have my own income,” Ailyn shared.

Today, her sari-sari store provides a steadier source of income for the family while allowing her to remain present for her children. She has also begun saving for their education-something she once thought would be difficult to achieve.

Brewing success: Kenniel

Kenniel’s entrepreneurial journey started with the desire to build a better future. Although he had a stable career in the banking industry, he realized he was still living paycheck to paycheck and wanted to create something of his own.

While working as a food delivery rider after office hours, he noticed that many BPO employees were looking for convenient, quality coffee during long shifts. That simple observation inspired him to start selling cold brew coffee from a small cart-a venture that would eventually grow into Timpla Dough.

Like many entrepreneurs, Kenniel also experienced setbacks that depleted much of his business capital. Looking for a way to recover, he turned to Tala for additional funding, allowing him to restart operations and continue investing in his growing business.

“Tala earned my trust because it became like a friend to me. It has been there through everything I’ve gone through and witnessed every step of my journey,” Kenniel shared.

Today, Timpla Dough continues to grow, serving as a reminder that determination, paired with timely financial support, can help entrepreneurs overcome setbacks and pursue their goals.

Ailyn’s and Kenniel’s journeys reflect the experiences of many Filipino nano and microentrepreneurs who have the drive to succeed but often lack access to the financial support needed to take the next step.

Today, a quarter of Tala’s five million customers in the Philippines use their loans for business purposes.

Beyond providing access to credit, Tala continues to help customers build financial confidence through Grow with Tala, a new in-app feature that allows users to monitor their financial progress, view upcoming milestones, and preview future guaranteed credit limit increases.

The feature complements Tala’s Debt with Dignity advocacy, which promotes transparency and respect-based lending practices.

‘Nano and microentrepreneurs are unseen economic engines that drive growth at the grassroots level. We aim to back their growth by providing access to convenient and flexible credit that they can use as capital to sustain or even scale their businesses, and ultimately, achieve their financial goals,’ said Moritz Gastl, president and general manager of Tala Philippines.

For countless Filipinos, entrepreneurship begins with a simple idea and the determination to make it work. Stories of Tala customers Ailyn and Kenniel show that with resilience, hard work, and the right support, small beginnings can grow into sustainable livelihoods that benefit not only their families but also the communities they serve.

Tycoon Ramon Ang is buying the 25.68% stake in Lopez Inc. held by the family branch of former ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, bringing an outsider into the private parent of the Lopez Group amid a months-long family feud.

Crème Investment Corp., the holding company representing Gabby’s branch of the Lopez family, sold its entire stake in Lopez Inc. to Ang, according to disclosures and statements released Monday, August 10.

The price and other financial terms were not disclosed.

Ang is making the investment in his personal capacity through a wholly owned holding company, rather than through conglomerate San Miguel Corp, where he is CEO and chairman.

SMC said Ang is expected to brief its board on the transaction at its next meeting on August 13.

‘Family peace.’ Gabby said the sale was partly intended to help end a dispute that has spilled across the family’s companies and into the courts.

“This dispute has not been good for any of us, or for the people who work in our companies. This allows us to take a step towards the restoration of family peace,” Gabby said, as quoted in several media reports.

He said the transaction would also allow his branch of the family to redirect its resources toward businesses aligned with its own priorities.

The sale gives Ang a major stake in the private holding company sitting above businesses that include investment firm First Philippine Holdings, energy provider First Gen, real estate company Rockwell Land and media giant ABS-CBN.

The remaining Lopez family branches will continue to hold the controlling majority of Lopez Inc.

The Lopez feud. The family’s internal dispute erupted publicly in February after a majority of the Lopez Inc. board moved to remove Federico “Piki” Lopez as president and CEO in a 5-2 vote, citing cause and loss of trust.

Piki challenged the move in court. The majority later withdrew the resolution seeking his removal in May, but disputes over the group’s governance and major energy transactions continued.

Among the flashpoints were First Gen’s transactions with Enrique Razon Jr.’s Prime Infrastructure, including the P50-billion sale of a controlling stake in First Gen’s gas business and agreements involving its hydropower assets.

The majority bloc questioned provisions in those deals that it said could expose First Gen to substantial losses if Piki were removed from key management posts. First Gen disputed allegations of wrongdoing and said the provisions were requested by Prime Infra as protection for its investments.

Piki has also said the attempt to remove him was linked to his refusal to support a proposed P2-billion capital infusion into financially struggling ABS-CBN. The majority maintained that his removal was based on cause and loss of trust.

Gross domestic product growth continues to decelerate, slowing to just 2.3 percent year-on-year, the lowest outside the pandemic years since 2009.

Meanwhile, the national debt as of end-June hit a record high of P19 trillion, for a debt-to-GDP ratio of 66 percent – a 33-year high last seen in 1993.

Since the go-to response of the Marcos administration is to throw ayuda at every problem, that debt is likely to balloon further.

Business confidence is down, inflation has dampened consumption while the peso is at its weakest ever.

External factors aren’t entirely to blame. Economic experts and multilateral lenders have pointed to the paralysis in public spending due to the corruption scandal as a major factor in the lower-than-expected GDP growth in the second quarter.

With the problem identified, they also offer solutions: the long-running call to strengthen the rule of law and regulatory framework, plus the new call to show genuine resolve in dealing with the corruption scandal involving flood control and other infrastructure projects, facilitated by creative budgeting.

In all the suggested solutions, the government has been faltering.

Even in the biggest message of President Marcos’ recent State of the Nation Address – the prosecution of his once-favorite cousin, with relatives and friends not spared – the message has been suffering a succession of blows.

First, administration Senate bet Bong Revilla was allowed to post bail for the normally non-bailable malversation of public funds.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla had said that malversation, besides being non-bailable and warranting life in prison, is easier to prove than plunder. Perhaps it’s also easier to fix – something that Remulla implied when he said in public that someone had worked to secure Revilla’s bail, ‘mukhang trinabaho.’

The reaction of the two Sandiganbayan justices who approved the bail – Fritz Bryn Anthony delos Santos and Ronald Moreno (outvoting Third Division chair Karl Miranda) – boiled down to, sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us.

* * *

Revilla isn’t the only one who has slipped out of the ombudsman’s grasp. Remulla’s bid to get former public works chief Manuel Bonoan to turn state witness was also rejected by the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division. Remulla had said he planned to use Bonoan as a witness against former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

As the stormy workweek drew to a close, the ombudsman suffered yet another blow: four of the 18 self-proclaimed bagmen of former Ako Bicol ‘congtractor’ Zaldy Co, whose testimony Remulla had also hoped to use against Romualdez, retracted their statements.

The four claimed they were given prepared statements by the ombudsman, which they signed in exchange for financial compensation. Remulla denied this and openly expressed suspicion that Romualdez was behind the recantation. There are video recordings showing that the four freely cooperated in the presence of assistant ombudsmen, Remulla added.

Why the four would need to be forced to sign affidavits that merely affirmed their original accusations against Romualdez is a mystery. Those allegations of delivering cash-filled suitcases totaling P805 billion to lucky folks led by Romualdez, BBM and his son Sandro were hurled by the 18 way back in February.

On Friday, one of the 18 bagmen, George Villanon Jr., said they were offered P20 million to P25 million each to retract their statements.

Villanon did not say who offered those amounts, which I hesitate to describe as huge, considering the billions alleged to have been pocketed by the looters.

The National Bureau of Investigation vowed to investigate the matter. It was unclear though whose accusation the NBI would pursue – that of the four bagmen or Remulla’s. The NBI, after all, is part of the executive branch, whose head and appointing power is BBM.

But at the rate the statements of the 18, together or individually, have been shifting, their stories have become so polluted the probative value has been reduced to zero. As Pinoys like to say, it’s just storytelling a lie. They should just be slapped with charges of perjury.

* * *

Romualdez did promise a spirited fight to prove his avowed innocence. He had ominously warned: ‘I’m telling everyone now, I will not go quietly and I will not go alone. I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption.’ Who the ‘other people’ are, he has yet to say.

He has denied receiving kickbacks, and has maintained that he had nothing to do with the institutionalized looting of the national budget.

Zaldy Co could be the best witness on this and against Romualdez. But we all know that Co has impressively eluded being forced to return to the Philippines, and is instead cooling his heels in Paris.

Another accuser of Romualdez who has gone missing is retired Marine sergeant Orly Guteza. Remember him? He was the original storyteller of the cash-filled suitcase deliveries. This was way back in September last year. The notary public whose signature was on Guteza’s affidavit later claimed her signature was forged, but Sen. Panfilo Lacson said it didn’t matter because Guteza had sworn to his testimony in person before the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

We’re waiting for Remulla’s next step in going after Romualdez, and fulfilling BBM’s SONA promise.

It must be stressed though that BBM did not explicitly promise to put his cousin behind bars or even secure conviction. All he said was that the ombudsman was set to file piles of cases against ‘the former speaker’ whose name he could not even mention. BBM also admitted that it pained him, although ‘kailangan nating gawin ang tama’ – we have to do what’s right.

At this point, doing what’s right is starting to sound like the fairy tale about the big fish not having a merry Christmas 2025. Or the original OPM, oh promise me: rice (not subsidized) at P20 a kilo.

At least 28 families affected by a fire in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, benefited from financial aid and relief goods distributed by the Malasakit team of Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go.

The assistance was distributed at the Tisa Barangay Hall on Tuesday, August 4, in coordination with local officials.

The affected families received financial aid, grocery packs, water containers, snacks, shirts, vitamins, bags, basketballs, and volleyballs. Some beneficiaries also received shoes.

The national government also conducted an assessment for possible housing assistance for families whose homes were affected by the fire.

Go addressed the affected families through a video call and urged them not to lose hope, stressing the importance of helping one another during difficult times.

‘Huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Magtulungan lang po tayo, sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kundi tayong kapwa Pilipino. Siguraduhin lang po natin na nag-iingat po tayo,’ Go said.

He said responding to the immediate needs of communities affected by disasters should remain a priority regardless of the prevailing political climate.

Go also highlighted measures aimed at strengthening the country’s preparedness and response to fires and other disasters.

He recently authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11589, or the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021, which provides for a 10-year modernization program for the BFP, including improved equipment, enhanced training, additional firefighters, and intensified fire prevention campaigns in coordination with local government units.

He also principally authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which requires the establishment of permanent and disaster-resilient evacuation centers in every city and municipality.

The law provides that these evacuation centers should be equipped with basic health, sanitation, and safety facilities and designed to withstand disasters.

Go’s assistance to the Tisa fire victims is also in line with his previous relief efforts for families affected by fires and other calamities across the country.

His office has also coordinated with local officials and national government agencies in assessing the needs of affected families and facilitating possible additional assistance, including medical, financial, and housing support.

Go said government assistance must reach disaster victims as soon as possible, particularly during the first days following a calamity, when families are most in need of food, water, and other basic necessities.

He acknowledged the support of Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Tisa Barangay Captain Bernardo Lapiña Jr., and Barangay Kagawad Sonia Cal.

‘Patuloy po akong magseserbisyo para sa inyo dahil bisyo ko po ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos,’ Go said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has completed the printing of 447,387 official ballots for the Aug. 29 special election for the fourth legislative district of Dasmariñas City in Cavite.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia informed reporters over the weekend that the printing had reached 100 percent completion.

The special election will be held to fill the congressional seat vacated by Francisco Barzaga Jr., who was expelled from the House of Representatives in June for disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member and violations of the House Code of Conduct.

Garcia earlier said the Comelec expects to proclaim the winner early on Aug. 30.

The special election has a budget of P198 million, with P50 million to be shouldered by the Dasmariñas City government.