Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

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.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) maintained that the confrontation between Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel during an operation in Bulacan was an ‘isolated incident.’

In a press briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday, PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the agency’s chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., ordered their Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to look into the incident.

‘We value our relationship with the BOC. This is an isolated incident,’ Co stressed.

At least 12 HPG National Capital Region personnel allegedly raided a warehouse containing allegedly smuggled cigarettes in Santa Maria, Bulacan last August 19, frisking and handcuffing some BOC personnel before their officials intervened.

The HPG maintained that its operation sought to confiscate the cigarettes and arrest two BOC personnel allegedly reselling the contraband, but the bureau asserted it was conducting its own legitimate operation to incinerate the seized products as part of standard procedures.

The implicated HPG personnel were since relieved from their posts pending investigation, while BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said he intends to file administrative cases against them before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

‘All units concerned na pwedeng gamitin ng DIDM ay magagamit rito sa pag-imbestiga to get to the truth regarding all circumstances regarding the incident,’ Co explained.

(All units concerned can be deployed by the DIDM to investigate and get to the truth regarding all circumstances regarding the incident.)

For its part, Malacañang said it trusted the PNP and the BOC to investigate the incident fairly.

Tycoon Ramon Ang’s New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC) is setting new, clear-cut performance standards for airlines operating at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), starting with the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL).

NNIC, which took over the country’s primary gateway in 2024, said the new operating framework will spell out how airlines use Naia facilities and infrastructure, as well as define the respective responsibilities of carriers and the airport operator.

There will also be key performance indicators meant to improve operational efficiency at the congested Naia.

In a statement on Tuesday, the San Miguel Corp.-backed NNIC described the move as part of Naia’s overall refresh, which it is now extending beyond terminals, facilities and airport systems to how operations across the gateway are managed.

‘This agreement gives us a clearer framework for setting expectations, measuring performance and working together to maintain consistent service standards,’ NNIC president and CEO Ang said. ‘That is important to making airport operations more efficient and dependable.’

As part of this push, the Lucio Tan-led PAL signed the first standardized Airport Use Agreement with NNIC, a framework that the Naia operator intends to use as a blueprint for future agreements with other airlines using the gateway.

While it described the deal only in broad strokes, NNIC said the agreement was meant to make airline operations more consistent and improve coordination among the different parties involved in moving passengers, baggage and aircraft through Naia.

Under the framework, the agreed service levels will be part of PAL’s contractual obligations and will include mechanisms for addressing persistent failures to meet the standards.

‘This is a positive development for both PAL and NNIC, and ultimately for our passengers. It supports the continuing modernization of Naia and our collective goal of delivering a better airport experience,’ Lucio Tan III, president and COO of the airline’s parent company PAL Holdings Inc.

NNIC said it was taking a similar approach with ground handlers and other service providers at Naia.

Since taking over the airport, NNIC has been upgrading its terminals, airport systems, airfield infrastructure and passenger amenities while seeking to address long-standing capacity and operational constraints.

In 2025, Naia recorded its highest annual passenger count, with 52.02 million travelers passing through the country’s main gateway.

A municipal councilor of Puerto Galera has asked the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to intervene after he was barred from delivering his privilege speech during the regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan on Monday (August 24).

Councilor Aristeo ‘Aries’ Atienza said he intended to use the privilege speech to give voice to strong opposition to the P50 Environmental User’s Fee (EUF) which was imposed on residents of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.

He also wanted to seek the restoration of the previous exemption granted to Mindoro residents.

Atienza was not allowed to deliver the speech on the floor, prompting him to instead release the full text of his statement through his official social media page.

The incident led to a heated exchange between Atienza and Vice Mayor Rocky Ilagan, who presided over the session.

The Vice Mayor questioned the online posts Atienza had previously shared regarding the EUF, noting that the portions of the ordinance the councilor had highlighted did not reflect the substance of the full measure.

Following the discussion, the Sangguniang Bayan resolved to continue implementing the controversial environmental fee ordinance, with a mandatory review scheduled after six months.

Atienza was the sole member who voted against the decision.

Citing the denial of his right to deliver a privilege speech, Atienza has formally requested for a legal opinion from the DILG to determine whether the presiding officer’s action was in accordance with law and proper parliamentary procedure.

In a message on Tuesday (Aug. 25), Atienza told the Inquirer that he is still waiting for the response of the DILG.

Municipal Administrator Carmela Datiguinoo said the local government stands by its position to implement to ordinance but are open to further discussions.

The controversy over the P50 EUF continues to divide public opinion in Puerto Galera and across Mindoro

Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial enters 19th day, with counsel for the House prosecution Amando Ligutan to explain his public statements related to the trial, following a manifestation from defense lead counsel Sheila Sison over a social media post that appeared to reference a defense lawyer’s statement during the cross-examination of state auditor Xylene del Campo.

After Ligutan’s explanation, presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero is expected to rule on the matter before the court proceeds with the cross-examination of the prosecution’s second hostile witness, Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, who testified about the processing and use of the OVP’s confidential funds from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023

Counsel for the prosecution Amando Virgil Ligutan has countered the defense panel’s criticism of his Facebook post about misleading questions not being allowed even during cross-examination, noting that the statement was not issued for them, but for law students and the general public.

In his counter-manifestation on Wednesday, at the start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Ligutan said nothing in his post was personal, noting that he intended to clarify to the public that misleading questions are not allowed.

Last August 12, Ligutan made a post stating that a ‘principle all lawyers and law students know by heart’ is that ‘misleading questions are not allowed even on cross-examination’ – which led counsel for the defense Sheila Sison to claim was an attack on counsel for respondent Kristine Ferrer – particularly the exchange between Ferrer and private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan.

‘To the defense, the post is not about you. It is not personal. It is about the law that we all adhere to. It is about what we teach the public who are watching our trial. Correcting a mistake is never wrong. Doing it while a hearing is ongoing, online, does not make it wrong,’ Ligutan said.

‘Ang pagtatama ng mali ay hindi kailanman ipinagbabawal. Kahit sa loob ng impeachment court na ito (Correcting any mistake is never prohibited. Even inside of this impeachment court),’ he added.

LINK TO POST: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19JKzuzt2a/

Ligutan also reminded the defense and the Senate Impeachment Court that, beyond being a lawyer, he is a teacher-a law professor-and he cannot help but correct wrong perceptions being floated on social media.

According to the lawyer, his instincts as a teacher kicked in amid questions on whether misleading questions were really applied.

‘But more than just a lawyer, first and foremost I am a teacher. Isa po akong guro and I am proud to be one […] At alam ng ating mga magigiting na guro sa buong kapuluan na ang pagtuturo ay likas sa atin. Ang pagtuturo, ang pagtatama ng mali, ay walang pinipiling lugar, at walang pinipiling panahon. That’s why I made that post,’ Ligutan said.

(But more than just a lawyer, first and foremost I am a teacher. I am a teacher, and I am proud to be one […] And our honorable teachers across the archipelago know that teaching is second nature to us. Teaching and correcting mistakes don’t pick an area or a time. That’s why I made that post.)

‘I was concerned that the statement made in open court – that misleading questions are allowed – will go unchecked. My teacher’s instinct kicked in. I wanted the students I left in Cebu and in Diliman, and all law students out there, to know that a teacher had heard that wrong statement in open court, and he is correcting that mistake on Facebook, as I have been doing the past years,’ he added.

In a tense moment during the cross-examination of state auditor Xylene Mae del Campo, Kapunan strongly objected to Ferrer’s habit of cutting the witness off before she is even able to provide an answer to the questions, and insisting that questions be answered by yes or no only.

Ferrer asked that she be allowed to conduct the cross-examination in her own manner, but Kapunan noted that some questions are not simply answerable by yes or no.

Later, Kapunan said that ‘misleading questions are not allowed,’ to which Ferrer responded by saying that ‘it is allowed.’

But Sison said that Ferrer’s ‘it is allowed’ quip was not a reply to Kapunan’s ‘misleading questions are not allowed’ even on cross-examination statement – making Ligutan’s social media post as something done in ‘bad faith.’

But several members of the prosecution team stood by Ligutan, like Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, who told Sison not to gaslight the country, as the transcripts would show that Ferrer really was responding to Kapunan and to her insistence that misleading questions are not allowed.

After Sison’s manifestation, Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero warned both the defense and the prosecution after both were observed making social media posts in relation to the proceedings.

‘The presiding officer is already in the process of drafting a ruling and a warning and an order pertaining to this. Because clearly, I can even name all of you who’ve been commenting on social media in violation of Rule 18 of the impeachment rules,’ he announced.

In response, lead public prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said in an interview with INQUIRER that the prosecution has been following the rules – that they have been very mindful not to go over the prohibition, and that their interpretation is that as long as they do not touch on the merits of the case, they can speak about these matters.

Luistro also stressed that Rule 18 of the Senate’s Rules of Impeachment applies not only to the prosecution and the defense lawyers, but also to Duterte and even senator-judges.

The 18th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial centered on the testimony of Office of the Vice President Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, who was declared a hostile witness by the impeachment court, making him the second prosecution witness to receive that designation.

The ruling allowed private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia, a litigation lawyer and name partner at Co Nazario Velasco-Catera and Divinagracia Law Offices, to ask Ortonio leading questions during his direct examination on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.

Ortonio confirmed during his testimony that he paid P150,000 out of his own pocket to cover excess confidential fund expenses, following an urgent request relayed through former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta that originated from Col. Raymund Dante Lachica.

The impeachment court issued a reminder to the House prosecution panel not to use inflammatory terms such as ‘scam’ and ‘mastermind’ during examinations.

The warning came after Divinagracia used those terms while examining Ortonio, who had confirmed that the OVP submitted four separate explanations to the Commission on Audit to justify its use of confidential funds.

Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said after Day 18 that she was ‘more inclined’ not to call Col. Lachica to the witness stand, though the prosecution had yet to make a final decision.

Lachica, the former head of the VP’s security detail, had earlier stated publicly that he never refused to testify and is ‘prepared to tell the truth’ should he be summoned. The Armed Forces of the Philippines separately announced it had terminated its own inquiry into Lachica to avoid duplicating the Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation.

On the parallel legal front, the Department of Justice said Sara Duterte’s criminal case for alleged grave threats can proceed independently of the impeachment trial, stressing that the two processes follow separate legal tracks.

Separately, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon called on the Ombudsman to investigate whether Duterte and OVP officials committed malversation in their handling of confidential funds.