Category: Philippine Star

Subic EnerZone Corp., the distribution utility of Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower), officially continue its power distribution partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), extending its management and operation of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone power distribution utility for the next 25 years.

Subic EnerZone has served the special economic zone since October 2003. As of February 28, it served over 3,750 customers, consisting of industrial locators, commercial locators, residential customers, plus streetlights and industrial locators under Retail Electricity Supply or RES.

Since taking over management of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone’s power distribution system, Subic EnerZone has played a pivotal role in driving economic development in the area, with total system losses at 4.37% as of end-2025, below the government-mandated 5.50% for private distribution utilities.

Speaking at the event, key leaders highlighted how modernized power systems will serve as the backbone for SBMA’s long-term master development plans. Anton Perdices, executive chairman of the AboitizPower Distribution Group (APDU), opened the ceremony by highlighting the deep-rooted synergy between the Aboitiz Group and SBMA, reiterating Subic EnerZone’s commitment to powering progress.

‘Subic has always been a place of possibility-a freeport where businesses grow, industries connect, and communities build better lives. As Subic moves into its next chapter, reliable electricity will remain essential to that progress. It supports the daily work of locators, the services people depend on, and the opportunities that continued investment can bring,’ Perdices said.

‘For AboitizPower Distribution Utilities and Subic EnerZone, this partnership carries a clear responsibility: to plan alongside SBMA, strengthen the systems that serve the Freeport, and prepare for its changing needs. That work calls for practical planning, close coordination, and a long-term view of reliability and growth,’ he added. Jay Navarro, OIC president and general manager of Subic EnerZone, detailed system upgrades, growth roadmaps, and reliability enhancement plans designed to support SBMA’s vision for a modern, resilient, and future-ready economic hub.

‘Looking ahead, we are ready for Subic’s growth. Our demand and capacity forecasts project a steady rise in power needs. With Subic’s position as the Global Gateway of the Luzon Economic Corridor, these forecasts will change significantly and we are prepared for it,’ Navarro shared.

In the turnover, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Engr. Eduardo Jose Aliño also presented SBMA’s strategic direction and upcoming developments, emphasizing how reliable energy infrastructure directly reinforces investor confidence and economic momentum in Subic.

‘Today, we renew our commitment to a partnership that has served Subic Bay well-SBMA and Subic EnerZone working together to modernize our infrastructure, to keep the power on, and build a more sustainable freeport,’ Aliño emphasized.

‘Our contract runs until 2028 but we are not waiting for it to end. We are moving forward with each renewal because the needs of this region keep changing-and a good partnership has to change with them. Our work with Subic Enerzone, which delivers power for the people of Zambales and Bataan, shows that this approach works,’ he continued.

As of February 28, AboitizPower owned, directly and indirectly through Davao Light, a 99.98% equity interest in Subic Enerzone.

The merry month of December gets even merrier with the staging of the National United Chess Federation of the Philippines (NUCFP) Chairman Manny Pacquiao 48th Birthday International Open Chess Championships on Dec. 13-15 in General Santos City.

More than P1.5 million in guaranteed cash prizes are at stake in the prestigious three-day tournament organized by the NUCFP in cooperation with the Pacman Chess Association, Professional Chess Association of the Philippines and One Chess Movement and the local government of General Santos City.

The champion of the first-ever NUCFP-sanctioned tournament will pocket the lion’s share of P500,000 and trophy, the runner-up will earn P250,000 and the third placer will get P150,000.

The fourth placer will receive P100,00 and trophy, the fifth up to the eighth places will get P30,000 and the ninth up to the 15th places will get P10,000.

Cash prizes and medals will be given all the way to the 50th placer.

Special prizes of P5,000 and medal will also be given to the top Senior, Lady, High School , Elementary and GenSan players.

As a side event, the inter-club tournament will also follow, with major prizes at stake.

This companion event is expected to add even more excitement to the festival of chess and give clubs another major platform to compete, represent their teams, and fight for top honors.

NUCFP is also making the registration fees more affordable to enable more players to join.

Registration fees are: P4,000 for NUCFP Gold members and PCA members, P5,000 for NUCFP regular members, and P8,000 for non-members.

Lemon is a universal favorite flavor for any sweet treat – cakes, cupcakes, bars, cookies, breads, pastries, even sherbets and frozen desserts. It is a light, citrusy flavor that cleanses and refreshes the palate. There is no heaviness, no feeling of indulgence, just fresh flavor that is always welcome in a tropical country such as the Philippines.

‘I love lemon desserts because they give sweet treats a fresh, fruity flavor,’ said Mama Sita’s marketing executive and weekend kitchen warrior Ces Nepomuceno-Gamad, who also runs Beranda Café in the UP Diliman campus.

So, when her neighbors gave her more than a kilogram of lemons recently but she had very little time to bake, she added some of the fresh lemon juice to her pancake batter – and made a lemony topping for it, too! – for a quick and bright brekkie. Her Lemon Pancakes turned out to be so good, so citrusy, and so refreshing.

Lemon Pancakes

Ingredients:

For the pancakes:

1/4 cup sugar

2 medium-sized eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Lemon zest from 2 pcs. lemons

For the topping:

A few slices of lemon, seeds removed

1/4 cup honey

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and milk until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice.

2. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest.

3. Pour liquid mixture into the bowl with flour mixture. Gently fold together until just combined. The batter should be nice and thick, not too runny and not too sticky. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.

4. Heat a flat pan or griddle over low to medium heat. Spoon batter onto the hot pan. When bubbles start to form on the surface and the edges look firm, flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

5. In a small dish, add seeded lemon slices to the honey. Stack the pancakes, pour the honeyed lemon slices over the top, and enjoy with coffee.

Makes 8 small pancakes

Veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. was released on bail on Saturday night after a Davao City court issued a warrant for his arrest for cyberlibel.

His lawyer, Dino de Leon, confirmed Lustre’s release after a day of legal proceedings following the 72-year-old journalist’s arrest in Quezon City.

Lustre said his friends in the media pooled P50,000 for his bail, exceeding the required P48,000.

Broadcast journalist Ariel Ayala led the fundraising effort, Lustre said in a social media post thanking those who helped secure his release.

Lustre was arrested on Saturday after attending a news forum in a restaurant in Quezon City.

Police served Lustre a warrant issued by a Davao City court on Oct. 2.

Lustre said he was not aware of the pending cyberlibel case and questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest, alleging procedural lapses.

He said the complaint that he received did not identify the complainant and that he had not seen a separate information sheet containing further details of the case.

Lustre, a critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte, wrote the book ‘Kill Kill Kill,’ which examines the war on drugs.

When more than 8,000 young people gathered for the ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurship Summit last Oct. 12, the scale of the moment was impossible to miss. But what really made an impact on me was what the size of the crowd meant: thousands of ideas, ambitions, and possible businesses, and a glimpse of what ASEAN can achieve when its young people are given the chance to lead.

The summit, which we at the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) put together with the help of SM Cares and the Global Peace Foundation, brought the conversation about youth entrepreneurship to the regional stage. It’s one of the highlights of our chairmanship of ASEAN in 2026, and a clear statement that young people are the future of Southeast Asia.

Some people call the Philippines a poor man of a nation. The young Filipinos gathered that day can change that perception, because there were so many of them there who are hardworking and can start businesses. They had great speakers that day, from my daughter Bella, who talked about starting her own business while she was still in school, to Jollibee Group Global President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong, who shared the company’s journey from a Filipino-founded business to a multinational restaurant group.

Talks from real-life businessmen can inspire young minds and help connect what they learn in the classroom with real-life experiences. It gives them context for examining how businesses develop ideas, build brands, and, in the case of Jollibee, open markets in other countries. This is the point of the ASEAN flavor to this year’s youth summit,: to open these young entrepreneurs to the prospect of opportunities, not just in their immediate neighborhoods, but in the larger ASEAN community.

Across ASEAN, young entrepreneurs are finding new ways to solve problems and create opportunity. They are using digital tools to reach customers, developing creative businesses, exploring climate solutions, and connecting markets across borders. Yet talent and determination alone are not always enough. Many aspiring founders still need access to mentorship, financing, networks, practical guidance, and regional markets. The summit was an opportunity to talk honestly about those barriers, and to imagine what we might accomplish by working together to lower them for the young entrepreneurs of ASEAN.

That work begins with a change in how we think about youth participation. Too often, it has meant inviting young people into a room without inviting them to be part of the decision-making. We ask them to listen, but not to shape the conversation. We celebrate their energy, but hesitate to trust their judgment.

Entrepreneurship demands something better. Young people need more than encouragement; they need meaningful opportunities to test ideas, meet collaborators, learn from experience, and turn ambition into action. A strong entrepreneurial ecosystem cannot be built by young founders alone. It depends on cooperation among business leaders, governments, educators, investors, community organizations, and the entrepreneurs themselves. And it must connect people not only within their own countries, but across the region.

A central milestone of the summit was the ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurship Action Agenda, developed with the Philippine Young Entrepreneurs Association. Its purpose is to help turn a broad commitment into practical areas for collaboration. Among the issues it addresses are startup financing, education and mentorship, digital innovation and artificial intelligence, the creative economy, climate-focused enterprises, and cross-border e-commerce.

No agenda, by itself, can guarantee that a business will succeed. But a shared framework can help us ask better questions, identify where support is missing, and coordinate efforts that might otherwise remain scattered. Most importantly, the process must continue beyond a single day. A summit can open doors; sustained partnership is what keeps them open.

That is also the spirit behind MANA – Mentoring ASEAN’s Next Advocates – a youth legacy initiative of ASEAN-BAC Philippines. MANA reflects a belief that investment in young leaders should create lasting relationships, knowledge, and opportunities that young people can carry forward.

Other platforms can complement that effort. While the Summit is designed to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to explore the startup ecosystem and find their first points of connection, the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Carnival, happening on Nov. 6, can help established young entrepreneurs strengthen networks, build collaborations, and pursue growth. Together with regional marketplaces and other support initiatives, such platforms can help founders move from inspiration to participation to sustainable enterprise.

The optimism I took from the Summit is grounded in the young people themselves. It was in their willingness to share ideas, ask questions, and imagine businesses that respond to real needs. It was also in the knowledge that entrepreneurship can create livelihoods, introduce useful solutions, and help communities become more resilient.

There are 213 million young people across ASEAN. That figure is a reminder of the region’s immense human potential: 213 million possibilities, voices, and chances to make a difference. We should not expect every young person to become an entrepreneur. But every young person should have the opportunity to develop their skills, explore their ideas and contribute to the region’s future.

More than 8,000 young people in one arena could not represent all of ASEAN’s youth. But they offered a powerful glimpse of what is possible when young people come together and are taken seriously. The task now is to carry that energy forward – in mentorship, policy, financing, education, and partnerships that last. With hope, we will succeed in capturing their voices as we meet with the region’s leaders at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit on Nov. 14 and 15.

ASEAN’s future will be shaped by many forces. One of its greatest strengths is the creativity and determination of its young people. If we give them room to lead – and the support to turn ideas into action – the future of entrepreneurship in our region is bright.

The stock market has always served as a barometer for the overall state of the economy. Many non-economic factors affect this investor perception. An ongoing war in another time zone or gyrations in other markets due to the rise and fall of AI interest can affect the local economic outlook, especially for foreign investors.

Other strictly local developments – such as the downgrading of the country’s credit rating outlook, lower GDP forecasts, the devaluation of the peso versus the US dollar and investigations into misallocation of government spending – tend to pull down overall investor confidence. Positive numbers like the steady flow of inward remittances from OFWs or the ample GIR level can provide some basis for optimism.

Can fear also be a factor in defining investor confidence?

Charles Kindleberger’s ‘Manias, panics and crashes: A history of financial crises’ (1978) is often cited as reference for unusual crises in the market, such as severe market downturns experienced in the sub-prime mortgage crisis (2007-2010).

Kindleberger has written a historical analysis of financial crises and how panics and crashes start and fade away. In his analysis of these crises as cyclical, he finds that the market always comes back and recovers, until the next crisis.

Kindleberger, who wrote his book almost fifty years ago with three updates up to the latest edition (1996), cites the famous South Sea Bubble (1711-1720) as an example. The South Sea Co. was a British firm doing business in Latin America. The price of the stock rose almost ten times before it crashed. This pulled the whole market down until it recovered again.

The Kindleberger book was much discussed during the 2007-2008 market crash arising from the sub-prime mortgage and the collateralized debt obligations which affected global stocks.

Kindleberger asks, ‘Are markets so rational that manias (irrational by definition) cannot occur?’

Kindleberger charts 34 financial crises from 1618 to 1990. Clearly, manic cycles seem to pop up routinely and almost on schedule, much like solar eclipses that turn day into night, but only for a while.

In 1996, Alan Greenspan, then the Federal Reserve chairman, talked of the market’s ‘irrational exuberance’ referring to the dotcom bubble of the mid-nineties. This exuberance covered all sorts of listed stocks that used online apps which did not properly reflect the financial prospects of the firms.

On the bullish side, Greenspan followed up that fateful prediction of overvalued stocks with a more bullish assessment of stocks with good prospects that are ‘rationally justified.’ The re-coined phrase for these deserving stocks raised the possibility of ‘rational exuberance.’

History then teaches us lessons on how bubbles start and end. These lessons seem to address both bulls and bears.

A reality TV show (2001-2006) called ‘Fear Factor’ explores reactions of contestants to deep-seated phobias. Surviving their fears, they allow themselves to be subjected to creepy situations like being lowered into a tank full of small rats or snakes crawling all over their bodies or walking a tightrope to pluck flags in a race for time. The winners are those who overcome fear and stay in the race.

In one memorable episode, contestants (none of them Filipinos) were required to eat a fertilized duck egg (balut) with the still feathery body and bill already evident. Does this yucky-looking item evoke the same fear and loathing among natives? For us (including myself), balut that is unshelled is just a hearty snack. You can take it with a pinch of salt.

Does the prospect of a volatile market also differ between local investors and their foreign counterparts?

The fear factor should be used constructively as a sixth sense of evaluating risk and rewards. But it should not be the only basis for investor confidence in the market.

Regular market analysts can explain a mild rally in a bear market as a case of ‘bargain hunting.’ Is this why stock buybacks from current investors are providing a lift in the market?

The fear factor needs to be put in perspective. It is the same investors who turn from bears to bulls. Staying on the sidelines can be a missed opportunity for missing the transition. A long-term investor understands this.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone may bring rains to parts of Mindanao on Monday, October 26, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its weather forecast, PAGASA said the ITCZ may affect the western section of Mindanao.

Zamboanga Peninsula, Misamis Occidental, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi may experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the ITCZ.

PAGASA warned of possible flash floods or landslides in these areas due to moderate to at times heavy rains.

Batanes and the Babuyan Islands may also experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the northeasterly windflow.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Pure domination from Alex Eala.

Eala barged into the next round of the Toray Pan Pacific Tennis Open in Tokyo, Japan after simply obliterating Mika Stojsavlevic, 6-1, 6-2 Monday afternoon.

The Filipina hardly broke sweat as she needed just an hour and 15 minutes to win against her British opponent, ranked 411th in the world.

‘I think it was super important today to be focused on every single point. Playing against Mika for the first time was a great experience and I’m sure we will meet many, many more times. I think she has a really good level and I’ll see her many more times on tour,’ Eala said after the match.

‘But yeah, I think it was super important to be focused especially in the first round and try to keep the intensity up.’

Eala, seeded eighth in the WTA 500 tournament, started off hot, flexing her muscles en route to a 5-0 lead.

Stojsavlevic kept herself alive with a win in the sixth game, before the pride of the Philippines finished her off, 6-1.

Come the second set, Eala continued with her onslaught, going up 2-0.

However, her opponent put up more fight this time around, cutting the deficit, 1-2, and again, 2-3.

But Eala would not be denied, winning the next three games to take the victory.

Stovsavlevic punched in 24 winners against Eala’s eight, but she committed 41 unforced errors to her opponent’s 11.

Eala also forced the Brit tennister to commit 11 errors against just four for her.

The Filipina will now be taking on Talia Gibson in the next round of the WTA tournament.

The World No. 38 Gibson blasted Daria Kasatkina earlier in the day, 6-0, 7-5.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has suspended until the mandatory online display of its Registration Seal Badge for for online sellers, content creators and other covered taxpayers.

“We have heard the concerns of online sellers, content creators, and other taxpayers regarding data privacy, technical issues, and the scope of the BIR Registration Seal Badge requirement,” BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin said.

Under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 113-2026 issued Monday, October 26, taxpayers who have already secured their badges may opt to continue displaying them on their online platforms.

No penalties shall be imposed for the failure of disclosing the BIR Registration Seal Badge during the suspension, the circular said.

“The suspension will allow the BIR to address privacy and technical concerns and review the implementation of the requirement,” he added.

The BIR said it would coordinate with the National Privacy Commission and consult affected taxpayers and other stakeholders as it reviews the policy.

What the badge was for

The registration seal badge was introduced under RMC No. 38-2026 in April as an alternative to requiring taxpayers with an online business presence to display their full Certificate of Registration on websites, e-commerce pages and business-related social media accounts.

The badge carries a QR code that allows customers to verify a taxpayer’s BIR registration without requiring the full registration certificate to be posted publicly.

The rule covers online sellers and merchants, digital service providers, freelancers, professionals and content creators earning through digital platforms.

The BIR had previously extended the compliance deadline to October 31. As of October 14, more than 52,700 certificates of registration carrying the badge had been secured by online sellers, service providers and content creators.

ON INTERAKSYON: ‘I can feel your galit’: Rica Peralejo’s frustration with Philippine system resonates with Filipinos

Senator reacts to suspension. Sen. Bam Aquino welcomed the BIR’s decision after earlier calling on the agency to listen to concerns raised by small businesses, online sellers and content creators.

“Thank you very much, BIR, for suspending the Registration Seal Badge,” Aquino said in Filipino.

“Let us continue listening to the concerns of our fellow Filipinos and make doing business easier, especially for small entrepreneurs, content creators and online sellers,” he added.

If the government knows where Sen. Ronald dela Rosa is and is negotiating with the ‘powerful’ armed group protecting him, why dangle a P50-million reward for information leading to his capture?

This is just one of the questions in the curious case of Senator Bato, who has been described as ‘armed and dangerous’ by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

The other question is why a powerful armed group outside the government – as described by Remulla – is allowed to exist in this country, and harbor a wanted man.

If the powerful armed group turns him in, will the group get the P50 million? That will be rewarding aiding and abetting a wanted person, which is a crime under the Revised Penal Code and Presidential Decree 1829 on obstruction of justice.

Penalties under PD 1829 include imprisonment of four to six years and/or a fine of P1,000 to P6,000 – chump change for the looters in government – but maybe the jail time serves as a deterrent.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla is under preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice on charges of violating PD 1829, for helping Senator Bato leave the Senate on May 14.

That powerful armed group – its leader/s and those who are directly involved in protecting Dela Rosa – should also be held accountable under PD 1829 and the RPC.

The only powerful armed groups legally operating in the Philippines should be the military, police and related agencies involved in national defense, security and public safety.

Security officials say the armed threat posed by the communist New People’s Army has been significantly degraded. And the NPA will more likely execute Senator Bato, the architect of Oplan Tokhang, rather than shield him from arrest.

There is an armed group operating in Mindanao with the blessings of the government: the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has unilaterally paused its decommissioning process involving 14,000 combatants and 2,450 firearms. The actual number of MILF guns is likely higher.

The MILF stopped the final phase of decommissioning in July last year as it complained of the government’s failure to deliver promised socioeconomic packages to 26,145 decommissioned combatants for their transition to civilian life.

The government has explained that this will require approximately P14 billion, which the agency in charge of the peace process doesn’t have.

Because of the kid-glove approach of the Marcos administration, initial suspicion on the protectors of Dela Rosa fell on the Iglesia ni Cristo, which mobilized for indignation rallies amid the looming arrest of one of its own, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.

But the INC has since kept its peace and did not resume mass protests following Marcoleta’s arrest. The INC is known to have police and military officers among its members, but their combined firepower may not qualify for description as a powerful armed group ready for a bloodbath, as warned by Remulla.

Suspicion shifted to the MILF, or at least some members of the group, after Remulla warned that the bloodbath could be on the scale of the 2017 siege of Marawi and leave 10,000 dead.

But why would the MILF protect Dela Rosa? He’s not known to be close to the group or its leadership.

The other group with firepower, although much diminished, is the Moro National Liberation Front. The decommissioning of the MNLF was disorganized and also not fully completed, and the group has become fragmented.

MNLF founding chieftain Nur Misuari is known to be a friend of Dela Rosa’s patron, Rodrigo Duterte. Whether the Misuari faction qualifies as a ‘powerful armed group’ willing to kill to protect Dela Rosa from arrest, however, is uncertain.

Whichever armed group is protecting Dela Rosa, it reflects badly on the security situation in the country and the government’s capability to enforce the law and maintain peace and order.

Last Friday, acknowledging such observations, Remulla said the gloves are off and announced the P50-million bounty.

In case Dela Rosa is caught based on an actionable tip-off, they better make sure that P50 million does not end up in the hands of Dela Rosa’s coddlers.

Dela Rosa was given a week to surrender. What if he says, ‘make me?’ Giving ultimatums can blow up in one’s face. The government now looks caught between a rock and a hard place.

What might happen if Dela Rosa doesn’t surrender? Uhm, they will continue hunting him down? Continue negotiating? Is the government now gearing up for a bloodbath resulting in 10,000 deaths?

President Marcos wants Dela Rosa arrested without violence, ‘quickly and aggressively,’ no more negotiations, according to the government’s ‘treasure’ Claire Castro.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief who also went into hiding from arrest, expressed hope that Dela Rosa would be apprehended peacefully.

We saw how Dela Rosa scrambled to avoid arrest at the Senate last May. An inevitable speculative scenario is that the ‘armed and dangerous’ wanted man, if cornered, would resist arrest.

In the parlance of the war on drugs, that will constitute a case of nanlaban. Will Bato dela Rosa, like the thousands of drug suspects in the war that he waged, also be neutralized?