Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Commission on Audit (COA) has a shortage of field auditors, and this could be a ’cause for concern,’ its assistant commissioner Lorna Cabochan told lawmakers on Tuesday.

Cabochan, during a hearing of the House committee on appropriations on the COA’s 2027 budget, said the commission still needs ‘almost 400′ auditors.

She provided the figure in reply to Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña’s question on whether the COA’s manpower gap had already been addressed.

Cendaña cited the agency’s report last year that it had only two auditors assigned to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s First District Engineering Office of Bulacan, which has been at the center of the flood control corruption scandal.

According to Cabochan, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has restored 332 plantilla positions in July out of the 716 that were previously reduced. But this still means a shortage of 384 auditors.

When Cendaña asked whether this was a ’cause for concern,’ the COA official answered in the affirmative.

‘Because the agencies are adding and, as of now, we are also somewhat lacking in auditors in the field,’ Cabochan explained.

She also disclosed that some auditors have left the COA for higher-paying jobs or flexible working positions.

Other auditors, she added, were even considering retiring ‘as soon as they reach 60.’

‘Although we are continuously recruiting, there is also separation through transfer to other government agencies and resignation,’ Cabochan said.

Hearing this, Cendaña emphasized that the current state of manpower in the COA is ‘alarming,’ pointing out that ‘it’s still lacking to this day.’

‘This 2027, there is a proposed P107 billion for flood control under DPWH. If the audit is sloppy again or if the audit is insufficient or slow, we will repeat the performance in 2025,’ he said. ‘And we already know the reason. This is the deficiency we mentioned.’

The lawmaker said the government must allot additional resources to the COA, noting that the commission is the ‘first line of defense’ against corruption.

Zero capital outlay

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, committee chair, meanwhile said it was ‘interesting’ that none of the proposed projects under the COA’s capital outlay request for next year were granted by the DBM.’

The COA initially proposed a P1.18 billion budget to cover its Information Systems Strategic Plan for 2027-2029, the construction or modernization of some of its buildings, and the purchase of three vehicles, among others.

But the DBM did not approve the COA’s proposal, recommending a ‘zero capital outlay’ for the commission through the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

In the same budget hearing on Tuesday, Suansing said the zero capital outlay ‘really stood out.’

When asked by Suansing whether the DBM gave an explanation, COA Assistant Commissioner Nilda Plaras answered, ‘There was none, your honor.’

Wish list

The Inquirer has reached out to the DBM about the matter, but it has yet to respond as of publication.

The House committee also found that the DBM did not approve even the COA’s request for a budget to purchase a vehicle for its office in the Negros Island Region.

Suansing then asked the COA to provide a ‘wish list’ of items that were left out in the NEP that it wanted to advocate for so that Congress could consider them during deliberations on institutional amendment requests.

‘Given the limited fiscal space, realistically, we would not be able to fund all. So for us to get a better sense, we request a more detailed list of all of the items under the capital outlay request with the corresponding details,’ said Suansing.

The COA is seeking a P17.3 billion budget for 2027, but the DBM has recommended lowering the amount to P16.05 billion.

Low-cost carrier Vietjet is launching direct flights between Clark and Ho Chi Minh City in November, opening a new gateway to Vietnam for travelers from central and northern Luzon.

The operator of Clark International Airport announced on Wednesday that the new Vietjet service will operate three times weekly every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. This will provide travelers with another direct connection to the booming Southeast Asian tourism destination.

Vote of confidence

‘Vietjet’s decision to launch its first Clark service is a strong vote of confidence in the market we serve,’ said Noel Manankil, president and CEO of Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (Lipad). The company manages the Pampanga gateway.

‘Clark gives airlines access to a large catchment area beyond Metro Manila, and this direct connection to Ho Chi Minh City creates a more efficient travel option for passengers across Central and Northern Luzon,’ Manankil added.

Vietjet’s new service will begin on Nov. 10, Lipad said.

Vietjet flight VJ1871 will depart Clark at 5:05 p.m. and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City at 6:35 p.m. local time. The return flight, VJ1870, will leave Ho Chi Minh City at 12:30 p.m. and arrive at Clark at 4:05 p.m.

Ahead of the launch, Vietjet will offer a special promotional one-way fare of $75, inclusive of taxes and other fees. The promotional fare will cover travel periods through March 31, 2027, Lipad said.

Tourism cooperation

This new service comes just months after the Philippines and Vietnam launched a tourism cooperation program during Vietnamese President To Lam’s meeting with President Marcos in Manila last June.

Under the agreement, which runs until 2029, Manila and Hanoi agreed to increase commercial flight frequencies and strengthen air connectivity between the two countries.

As of June, the Philippines was Vietnam’s largest source of foreign tourists, with Filipino arrivals reaching 364,721 in the first half of 2026.

In 2025, the number of Filipino tourists that visited Vietnam surged 81.3 percent to 482,173.

Travel in the opposite direction remains considerably smaller. Vietnam was the Philippines’ 23rd-largest source of foreign tourists in 2025, with 33,599 arrivals.

For Manankil, Vietjet’s expansion into Clark International Airport fits into the two countries’ broader push to strengthen bilateral ties.

‘We see considerable potential for this route to support both tourism and business links between the two markets,’ he said.

Ivana Alawi extended help to those affected by the recent severe flooding, while urging the public to demand accountability over the alleged corruption in flood control projects.

The actress said this through her social media pages on Tuesday, Aug. 25, while showing a clip of herself packing relief goods which she gave out to flood-affected communities.

‘Busy lang po mag repack ng relief goods. Kayo po, kamusta na kaya ang flood control? Ang bilyon bilyong pondo?’ she said in the caption. ‘Habang may Pilipinong lumulubog sa baha…. Sorry, hindi kami makakalimot.’

‘Wag tayo maghanap ng ibang issue para matakpan ang mga pinaka importanteng issue,’ she stressed. ‘Dapat may mangyari. Dapat may solusyon.’

While Alawi has yet to share a documentation of her relief initiative, several videos already circulated on social media showing her personally handing out relief packs and cash assistance to flood victims in Pampanga.

Meanwhile, amid the praise for the actress-vlogger, some netizens brought up Alawi’s previously criticized phone giveaway tied to an online gambling advertisement. The issue also recently resurfaced after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) ordered to stop the promotion, and fined the online gambling company behind the giveaway.

Pagcor Alejandro Tengco said this during the House of Representatives committee on appropriations’ hearing on Pagcor’s budget for 2027, after Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah Fernando pointed out the surge in content creators and influencers promoting online gambling. Fernando made a mention of Alawi’s giveaway during the hearing.

Alawi has yet to comment on the matter as of this writing.

Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) recorded a 22.84-percent drop in eight crimes across Western Visayas from May 22 to Aug. 22, compared with the same period last year, police officials reported on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

According to comparative crime data released by PRO6, total incidents among the eight focus crimes fell to 385 this year, down by 114 from the 499 incidents recorded during the same three-month period in 2025.

PRO6 reported declines across nearly all focus crime categories, except motor vehicle theft, which logged a single incident during the period.

The largest decrease was recorded in motorcycle theft, which dropped by 65%, from 20 cases in 2025 to seven in 2026.

Rape cases recorded a notable 55.56% reduction, declining from 126 cases to 56. Murder incidents dropped by 21.21%, from 33 to 26, while robbery cases fell by 18%, from 50 to 41 incidents.

Provinces throughout the region similarly registered reductions in focus crimes, pointing to a sustained impact of ongoing law enforcement strategies across Western Visayas.

Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, PRO6 director, attributed the positive development to intensified police presence, intelligence-led operations, rapid incident response times, and strengthened community partnerships.

‘The decrease in crime is not merely numbers on our records. It is a concrete result of the collective effort of our police officers and the active cooperation of our communities,’ Tuaño said in a statement.

‘However, we must not become complacent. We will continue to focus on crimes that remain a challenge and intensify our measures to keep our citizens safe,’ he added.

Tuaño emphasized that sustaining low crime figures requires continuous police presence, proactive crime prevention, strategic intelligence gathering, and robust public cooperation.

‘The true measure of a safe community is not just the drop in crime figures, but the public’s confidence that police officers are ready to respond, listen, and act,’ Tuaño noted.

Despite the downward trend in criminal activity, PRO6 affirmed that it will continue enhancing its crime prevention and control operations, public visibility, and community outreach efforts to deter potential offenses.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) hopes to raise at least P11.09 billion from the sale of a portion of its property in Quezon City that house power agencies.

A Psalm document shows that the state-run firm is seeking proposals for its bidding covering 39,698 square meters of net salable area.

The prebid conference is set for Sept. 3 while the bid submission deadline was set for Sept. 24 this year.

The area is part of the 5.195-hectare Diliman property that hosts the offices of the National Power Corp. and National Transmission Corp.

‘They are temporarily relocated in the course of the sale and development of the asset,’ said Edward dela Serna, president and CEO of Psalm.

It is one of Psalm’s most valuable properties as it is located in Quezon City’s central business district. The Diliman property is likewise seen for its potential for residential, commercial and mixed-use development.

In 2019, Psalm selected the architectural conceptual design submitted by WTA Design Studio for the Diliman property. At that time, the company said the conceptual design would be its basis for the master planning and the privatization options for the property.

Psalm, which is tasked with privatizing some crucial power assets, has been scrambling to unload some properties to cut or totally scrap its financial obligations before its corporate life ends in 2036.

As of the end of 2025, Psalm was able to trim its debt by P13.4 billion to P260.6 billion.

In a previous statement, the company said that collections from fees on the concession of transmission assets, administration of independent power producer contracts and the privatization of select real estate assets had helped lower its obligations.

Aboitiz Power Corp. emerged as the winner last year after offering P36.27 billion for the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric power plants in Laguna.

The CBK power complex was one of the power assets sold by Psalm to settle all its liabilities and obligations.

Transforming from a previous offender into an active partner of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the local government of Ajuy has successfully converted 700 kilograms of recovered plastic waste into 35 durable classroom chairs for Ajuy National High School.

This initiative, made possible through a collaboration with DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region VI, Subay Marketing, and Angelina Bakeshop, marks a significant milestone in the municipality’s reinforced commitment to solid waste management.

DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said partnerships that recover and reuse waste can help make environmental protection more relevant to communities.

‘The challenge for us is not only how we can reduce waste, but also how we can reuse them in ways that better the lives of Filipinos,’ he said.

Cuna added that the initiative supports President Marcos’ call to build partnerships for environmental protection while improving the lives of the Filipino people, as it addresses both Ajuy’s continuing waste management efforts and the school’s need for additional classroom furniture.

Implemented under Subay Marketing’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Clean Environment Program, the DENR used about 20 kg of recovered plastic for every chair. The material was processed for reuse instead of being disposed of in landfills or waterways.

Turning point

The project builds on Ajuy’s efforts to improve its waste management system after the municipality was cited in 2016 for operating an open dumpsite, lacking a 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan, and failing to fully implement segregation at source.

‘Our turning point was when EMB filed a case against us in the Ombudsman because of our violations,’ recalled Ajuy Mayor Loida Espinosa. That became the reason for us to become more serious in implementing our solid waste management program.’

Since then, Ajuy has strengthened segregation at the household and school levels, invested in waste management equipment, reduced its dependence on single-use plastics, and developed partnerships that can provide recovered materials with other uses.

Three of the municipality’s island barangays now have segregation at source fully implemented down to the household level. The municipality continues to work with other communities to implement the same practice.

The improved waste management efforts have also supported the needs of Ajuy National High School, where students had been dealing with a shortage of classroom chairs.

Before the new chairs were provided, some students used old and dilapidated seats, while others shared chairs or stood at the back during lessons. The shortage was particularly felt in the Special Program in Journalism, where students needed proper seating for writing and other classroom activities.

Practical use

With limited funds and no immediate source of replacement furniture, the school bought monoblock chairs where possible and sought assistance from parents to build tables.

‘Before we received these chairs, our learners were sitting on the floor and some were using the old ones. It was already dilapidated. They could not focus on their lessons, and they were sitting uncomfortably,’ said Ajuy National High School principal Dr. Marilyn Dolendo.

The 35 chairs, which have armrests that provide students with a proper surface for writing, gave the school additional seating while demonstrating how recovered waste can be put to practical use.

Fourteen-year-old Jeff Renzo Diane, who had experienced using damaged, wobbly seats and seeing classmates stand at the back, said the chairs changed how he viewed plastic

‘I was also amazed that these recycled plastic chairs are made from plastic, which made me realize that plastic can turn into something else rather than more waste and pollution,’ he said.

At a time when Filipino movies face stiff competition from foreign titles for streaming platforms and screening venues, filmmaker Maki Javier made a bold move to carve out space for homegrown films in the digital landscape.

Javier believes there is enough room for both Filipino and Hollywood films to coexist in a given platform, and even more, for vertical films to come into the picture, with the latter’s ever-increasing audience appeal among smartphone users.

Vertical movies are snappy full-length dramas released in bite-sized episodes in vertical or portrait format, allowing viewers to easily watch on their mobile phones. Since the episodes usually end with a cliffhanger, viewers are then encouraged to subscribe for a smoother watching experience.

‘Mas maikli per episode, mas mabibilis yung plot. Tapos yung consumption mabilisan lang,’ he told reporters at the launch of the all-Filipino start-up streaming platform KayaFlix recently.

Javier, who sits as the founder and creative director of KayaFlix, said he hopes to tap into the streaming market through a number of vertical film titles boasting of unique storytelling now under its label.

The goal was simple: to make Filipino stories more accessible to Filipinos while giving homegrown storytellers and creatives a platform where their work can reach a new generation of audiences. KayaFlix acknowledges this shift by offering stories that are immersive and emotional, combining the depth of a teleserye with the pace of modern digital entertainment.

Currently, the platform has six of different genres that they are now offering for a minimal subscription fee, while six more are for release in the coming days. Actors are not necessarily virtual unknowns as most of them come from theater.

While vertical films are not a novel idea in the Philippine entertainment landscape, Javier said they hope to provide viewers an alternative to the usual fare of Hollywood titles and mainstream series on digital streaming platforms.

Asked if there is really a market for Filipino vertical films, Javier said they were also surprised by the number of people who have expressed their support just days after their launch, including subscribers.

However, he admitted that there are still those who typecast Filipino vertical titles as against full-length films.

‘I’m sure meron pa ring iba na ang pagtingin sa medium na yon ay hindi sya art. Kase parang mga tao, even outside the industry, they are pitting one medium against the other. Na ang TV ay hindi silver screen, ang silver screen ay hindi vertical. Pero ang point of view ko naman, ang challenge ay sa audience to consume. We can co-exist,’ he said.

‘As audiences continue to consume content on mobile devices, storytelling is evolving alongside them. So sana I-accept din nila ang verticals na may kayang istoryang ibigay with that same level na makikita nila yung production value, even though very minimal lang ang [subscription] cost… Let’s make it accessible nalang for the market, wag na tayo mag laban-laban,’ he added.

Filipino tennis star Alex Eala has been making waves even in the fashion world, catching the attention of none other than fashion icon Anna Wintour herself.

Eala, who is competing at the 2026 US Open in New York City, received praises from Wintour, who attended and watched the exhibition match of Roger Federer and Andy Roddick on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

‘It’s really interesting, especially when you look at players like Serena [Williams] and Naomi [Osaka] who really embrace fashion and express themselves with it,’ the fashion icon said in an interview, as seen in a clip shared on the tournament’s official social media pages.

Referring to Eala whose photo flashed in the interview video, Wintour continued, ‘We had the young Filipino star-you could see even in such a young star, how interested she is in fashion and how she wants to learn about it and follow it.’

‘I think it’s great, it’s wonderful how sports and fashion have become this wonderful sort of marriage,’ she concluded.

Wintour and Eala met during the tennis event, with the two shaking each other’s hands, as seen in a video shared by Facebook user Rulee Occiano.

Just days prior to this, ahead of her US Open campaign, 21-year-old Eala climbed to a career-high World No. 18 in the latest WTA rankings.

Wintour’s eye for fashion may not be off the mark as the decorated Filipina athlete has been turning heads with her fashion-forward choices that are effortlessly chic and feminine at the same time.

Opportunities for business growth are becoming more attainable as advanced digital tools and mechanisms remove some of the physical and logistical barriers that make running a business difficult for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially for people with disabilities.

Veronica Tabrilla, an entrepreneur with an orthopedic disability and owner of sustainable business Vero Denim Bags, said digital payments, delivery services, and online tools have made it easier to manage her business while reducing the need for in-person transactions.

On July 30, Inquirer ESG Edge Connect Network 2026 brought together industry leaders and advocates for a discussion on ‘Empowering an Inclusive Digital Economy: Access, Innovation, and Opportunity for Filipinos.’

Tabrilla, a participant of the forum, told the Inquirer, ‘even with payments-using platforms like GCash-it is now easy to receive payment upfront. It’s not like before, where you had to meet up in person. That’s no longer necessary, thanks to logistics and delivery apps.’

Coverage gap

Globe Telecom said it currently has around 68 million registered mobile customers and provides network coverage to about 96 percent of the Philippine population.

‘We know that connectivity, more than being a utility, is really an enabler of national progress. And we think it’s important that we educate all our stakeholders on the importance of connectivity as an enabler of digital transformation,’ said Chito Maniago, senior director and head for public relations and communications strategy at Globe.

The company said its partnership with Starlink is helping address the remaining coverage gap through a direct-to-mobile satellite service, allowing users in geographically isolated areas to send texts, make calls, and access basic applications through their mobile phones.

Globe also cited its Bayanihan SIM project, implemented with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, under which 180 sites have been completed to provide connectivity to students, teachers and small businesses in underserved areas.

Inclusive lending

Kevin Yu, head of B2B Lending at Fuse Financing, the lending arm of GCash, said MSMEs account for 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines and help drive job creation and economic activity nationwide, yet many small business owners struggle to access traditional loans.

‘Conservative and conventional lenders often require collateral. They require extensive business documents for an established credit history, most of which Filipino business owners don’t really have even if they’ve been running their businesses for years already,’ said Yu.

‘So we don’t look at traditional documents. We look at digital financial behavior, the transactions that you have within the GCash ecosystem. And through that, we’re able to extend forward credit to many Filipino business owners who may have been underserved by conventional lenders,’ said Yu.

Yu said their technology-driven approach enables faster and more inclusive lending decisions while maintaining responsible lending standards.

Financial health

Cesar Augusto Villanueva Jr., deputy director of the financial inclusion office at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said financial inclusion is the foundation, but financial health adds another important dimension to whether Filipinos are actually benefiting from the financial services available to them.

‘Do financial services help them manage their daily expenses? Do they help families prepare for emergencies? Do they help workers and entrepreneurs save and borrow responsibly and insure themselves? Do these services help people feel more in control and confident of their finances?,’ asked Villanueva.

Villanueva noted that the BSP’s role is to create an enabling environment anchored on safe innovation, interoperable payments, and shared digital infrastructure, including InstaPay and QR Ph.

‘The promise of the digital economy is not measured on how transactions become digital or how advanced our technologies become. It is measured by whether more Filipinos can participate in the economy, manage their finances with confidence, withstand life’s uncertainties, and pursue better opportunities,’ said Villanueva.

‘Let’s not be afraid to explore digital mechanisms, especially since it can propel our businesses to a higher level. But we should, of course, exert a certain degree of diligence,’ Villanueva stressed during the panel discussion with Inquirer business features editor Doris Dumlao-Abadilla.

Mentorship needed

Villanueva said consumers can use BOB-the BSP Online Buddy, an AI-powered chatbot available in Filipino and Taglish-which provides round-the-clock assistance for consumer complaints and inquiries involving banks, e-wallets, and other BSP-supervised financial institutions.

Noel Santiago, Go Negosyo adviser for Magandang Business Advice, said entrepreneurs also need mentors who can help them understand how to apply technology to their specific business needs.

‘We do believe that without a mentor guiding them every step of the way, the chance of success is questionable,’ said Santiago, citing their organization’s Kapatid Mentor Me program which aims to guide entrepreneurs through practical aspects of running and expanding their businesses.

Santiago said they use the 3M framework-mentorship, money, and market-by equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge to run their businesses properly, understand their suppliers and buyers, and navigate compliance, regulatory requirements, and ethical business practices.

Crucial link

Meanwhile, Cheche David, head for enterprise at Power Mac Center, said devices serve as a crucial link connecting the various programs and initiatives aimed at helping businesses embrace digitalization.

‘By providing secure, modern, and accessible Apple-powered environments, we enable businesses of all sizes to adopt technology that expands opportunity, enhances productivity, and supports inclusive growth,’ said David.

She added that digital transformation is no longer something businesses can postpone as a ‘long-term aspiration,’ but an ‘imperative’ as organizations compete in an increasingly connected economy.

Renewable energy projects supported by the feed-in tariff allowance (FIT-All) provided about P99.2 billion in power savings in two years, according to a think tank.

Based on an analysis from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), the savings logged were nearly half of the P220.5 billion consumers have paid through the FIT mechanism since it started in 2015.

The FIT-eligible projects helped ease upward price pressure in the country’s wholesale electricity spot market (WESM) for 2024 and 2025, bringing down electricity costs by P0.3916 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

WESM is a platform where power is traded between producers and distributors to boost supply.

The savings recorded exceeded the recent hike in FIT-All, reaching P0.3359 per kWh. This increase, which began this month, was approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

FIT-All is a charge collected from on-grid Filipino power consumers to provide incentives to renewable energy producers.

‘The sharp decline in renewable energy costs over the past decade shows that sustained policy support, when paired with competition, can turn emerging technologies into affordable and competitive sources of electricity,’ said Pedro Maniego, ICSC’s senior policy advisor.

‘The priority now is to build on these gains by expanding renewable energy, so more consumers can benefit from lower-cost electricity and reduced exposure to fuel-price volatility,’ he added.

ICSC said the deployment of more renewable energy assets has led to more competitive pricing, with solar projects backed by the FIT program costing roughly P3 to P4 per kWh from P9.68 per kWh in 2014.

The green energy auction-allowance (GEA-All), through a series of bidding, has also helped keep solar energy prices in the range of P3.68 and P4.48 per kWh.

‘Renewable energy can reduce electricity prices beyond the projects directly supported by FIT-All and GEA-All. Because solar and wind are often generated during periods of high electricity demand, they can displace more expensive power plants and lower prices in the WESM,’ ICSC said.