Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

At the Sapporo Beer Fest at Hotel Okura Manila on September 19 and 20, the brand did something more interesting than simply recite its history. Glasses filled quickly as guests moved between Japanese dishes, freshly poured beer and a room lit by the brand’s familiar gold star. The atmosphere felt less like a museum tour and more like what a beer milestone should be: conversation, shared food, and the weight of a century and a half of continuity sitting lightly on the present moment.

For Sapporo Breweries Japan Deputy Manager Haruka Murakami, the anniversary embodies a deliberate philosophy. The company’s vision is to pioneer the legacy of tomorrow-a phrase that captures the tension at the heart of any heritage brand. Respect the history, but do not get stuck in it.

Murakami has managed the Philippine market for around two years. This September, he began passing that responsibility to fellow Deputy Manager Tatsufumi Oishi. The handover comes at a symbolic moment-just as Sapporo transitions from celebrating its first 150 years into whatever comes next.

Why the Philippines matters

For Murakami, the Philippines represents more than market opportunity. He specifically credited local partner Philippine Wine Merchants for how Sapporo is presented here, saying PWM understands how to carry the brand’s ‘worldview’ across restaurants, bars and retail spaces. ‘In the Philippines, our partner, Philippine Wine Merchants, they are very good at expressing our correct worldview, our brand worldview,’ he said.

Murakami described Sapporo Premium Beer as authentic, modern and distinct. ‘The Philippines is one of the most important countries to realize our worldview in the market,’ he said. He also acknowledged that there is still plenty of room for Sapporo to grow locally in terms of sales volume, making the Philippines both a brand-building market and a market with room to expand.

For Oishi, who is taking over the Philippine market, the priorities are clear: build awareness, strengthen Sapporo’s presence and grow sales. ‘We’d like to create a good brand in the Philippines, and also sales, of course,’ he said.

Sapporo

From left: Hiroaki Shibahara, Japanese Consultant, Philippine Wine Merchants; Vincent Abella, Sapporo Brand Ambassador, Philippine Wine Merchants; Haruka Murakami, Deputy Manager, Sapporo Breweries Japan; Tatsufumi Oishi, Deputy Manager, Sapporo Breweries Japan; Nhorrie Wang, Vice President for Retail, Philippine Wine Merchants; Howard Go, Chief Operating Officer, Summit Media; and Raymond Lim Joseph, Director of Sales and Marketing, Philippine Wine Merchants.

A 150-year-old story, told through manga

One of the more unexpected parts of Sapporo’s anniversary is manga. In selected restaurants, consumers can find the company’s history presented in Japanese comic-style illustrations, with QR codes leading to deeper storytelling. For a beer brand born in the 19th century, it is a playful acknowledgment of how to introduce heritage to people discovering it now.

By telling its unique story through a medium that speaks to younger audiences, Sapporo can convey what makes it distinct from other beer brands. The company’s core demographic remains consumers between 25 and 39 years old-particularly urban drinkers and creative thinkers. Manga is not a dramatic departure in direction; it is simply another doorway into the brand, a way of saying that a 150-year legacy can live in many languages.

Sapporo has also marked the milestone with special packaging in overseas markets. A limited 150th-anniversary can featuring the company’s first brewmaster was released internationally this year. Though the commemorative design did not reach Philippine shelves, Murakami hinted that Filipino consumers may get something of their own. When asked about a special edition for the Philippines, he smiled and looked ahead: next year, perhaps. A different version, but maybe one will come.

Sapporo

Photo Caption: Sapporo’s 150-year story is retold through a manga-style installation following brewing pioneer Seibei Nakagawa, whose journey from Japan to Germany and back helped shape the beginnings of Sapporo Beer.

Celebrating 150 years in the room

At Hotel Okura Manila, the milestone felt lived-in rather than ceremonial. There were nods to tradition-the gold star, the Japanese food, the carefully curated selection of Sapporo varieties-but also clear signals of where the company wants to go next. Manga storytelling. Limited-edition packaging. A new manager taking the helm of the Philippine market. A beer brand does not celebrate 150 years by looking only backward.

For Murakami, the Philippines has been part of the story for two years. For Oishi, it is now his turn to take it forward. And for Sapporo, the milestone is less a finish line than another starting point.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has included mathematics and introduced flexible tutoring into its flagship Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, DepEd made the move to build on the gains the Philippines made in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

It broadens the program to improve not only foundational reading but also core numeracy skills of students in grades 1 to 10.

‘The latest PISA results showed us that real progress is possible when we focus on foundational skills, but it also served as a clear reminder of how much ground we still need to cover,’ Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

‘With ARAL Mathematics, our goal is simple – to reach every learner, wherever they are in their learning journey. Whether a child needs help recognizing basic numbers or mastering algebraic concepts, we are building a system that gives them targeted, flexible support so no learner gets left behind,’ he added.

Under the new guidelines, ARAL Mathematics addresses learning gaps from first to 10th grade, using diagnostic profiling through the Rapid Mathematics Assessment (RMA).

Tutors will track student progress using an Individual Mathematics Intervention Plan (IMIP) to ensure tailored support. DepEd is rolling out flexible delivery options, allowing schools to offer face-to-face, online, or blended tutoring.

Sessions may be scheduled during pull-out periods in class, off-school hours, or on weekends.

DepEd expanded the program follwoing the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Angara to Catbalogan III Central Elementary School in Samar, where they observed the impact of the ARAL Program in helping young struggling readers catch up.

Highlighting the administration’s focus on foundational basic education, Angara said that early literacy and math interventions must advance together.

‘Reading opens the door to knowledge, while mathematics builds the logic and critical thinking our youth need for the future. By combining structured practice with flexible scheduling, we are ensuring our schools have the tools to turn early learning wins into lasting academic resilience,’ Angara said.

To ensure program quality and manageable workloads, the guidelines limit tutoring groups to a ratio of 10 to 15 students per tutor to maximize individual attention.

Instruction will prioritize self-paced learning, allowing students to work independently through structured worksheets while tutors serve as facilitators rather than traditional lecturers.

Sessions are subject to time caps, limiting weekday tutoring to one hour per day, while weekend sessions for multi-shift schools may run up to two hours.

Nationwide implementation in all public schools will take effect in Term 2 of the school year 2026-2027 to give schools flexibility to finalize staffing, resources, and schedules.

The Philippines’ rice supplies may increase after two industry groups signed an agreement to source rice from the United States starting next year, marking a step toward reopening and expanding trade in US rice to the archipelago.

The memorandum of agreement signed by the USA Rice Federation (USA Rice) and the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (Prism) involves the supply and purchase of US-origin rice.

‘As the largest buyer of rice in the world, this agreement has great potential to help the Philippines manage its import needs by partnering with one of the key global origins for rice,’ USA Rice and PRISM said in a joint statement.

Under the accord, Prism members will procure 100,000 metric tons (MT) of bagged and/or bulk US-origin rice annually in 2027 and 200,000 MT in 2028.

Consequently, Prism members will secure US rice through open tenders and collaboration with USA Rice member companies. The two parties expect to work diligently with their members and government to promptly facilitate this potential trade flow.

A 55-year-old truck driver died while two others were injured after his vehicle crashed into a roadside tree in Mulanay town, Quezon province, on Wednesday evening, police said.

The truck was descending the road in Barangay Butanyog at around 7:30 p.m. when its brakes reportedly failed, Quezon police reported.

Police said the driver deliberately steered the truck into a tree to stop the vehicle.

The driver was dead at the scene.

The two truck helpers, who were also injured in the crash, were taken to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Four award-winning Filipino chefs are coming in hot for Season 2 of the international culinary competition series ‘Iron Chef Thailand vs Asia.’

Dropping on Netflix on Oct. 10, Saturday, AC Agra, Sonny Mariano, Mav Javier, and Mia Yan of LTB Team Philippines are turning up the heat in Bangkok’s Kitchen Stadium where they will compete against Thailand alongside returning team China and new participants South Korea and Indonesia to test their culinary skills and mettle, take home the prestigious Iron Chef Asia Trophy, and earn pride for the country.

The 10-episode series pits the contestants against each other across various challenges, which include working with secret ingredients, navigating tag-team relays, and creative storytelling tasks.

Agra, the executive chef of the Antonio’s Group of Restaurants and bronze medalist at the Global Vegan Chefs Challenge 2024, relishes the grueling tests. ‘I’ve been a fan of ‘Iron Chef’ since I was a kid,’ he says. ‘Competition has always been in my blood and every challenge has shaped me into the competitor I am today. But ‘Iron Chef Thailand vs Asia’ is different. It’s personal… I gave everything I have, fought for every plate, and carried my passion, my pride, and my country with me.’

For Tsukiji executive sous chef Yan, the opportunity to compete in ‘Iron Chef’ meant more than just showcasing her talents or why she was part of the team that won the Best Culinary Establishment at FHA Singapore in 2016. ‘I wasn’t there to ask for acceptance. I was there to show what experience, courage, passion, and Filipino heart can create under pressure,’ she says.

It was also the same for Javier, corporate executive chef at Rekado Global Food Solutions Inc. and Chef of the Year at Philippine Culinary Cup 2024: ”Iron Chef Thailand vs Asia reminded me that I have what it takes to compete with the best, and I still have so much more to give.’

‘I wasn’t there to ask for acceptance. I was there to show what experience, courage, passion, and Filipino heart can create under pressure,’ Mia Yan says

Rounding out the four-strong team is Tasteless Food Group chef consultant Sonny Mariano who is no stranger to international culinary competitions. He is a Gold and Silver Medalist in Food and Hotel Asia (2016), the Philippine Culinary Cup in 2010, and a recipient of recognitions for his dishes at Hong Kong International Culinary Classic.

‘I couldn’t be more grateful for the chance to represent our country once again,’ he says.

Renewable energy projects continue to dominate the government’s ‘green lane’ program, lifting its investment pipeline to P6.43 trillion as of September, even as most certified ventures have yet to move beyond the predevelopment stage.

Data from the Board of Investments (BOI) showed the pipeline edged up from P6.36 trillion in August, which was unchanged from July. The number of certified projects likewise increased to 248 from 244 over the same period.

Of the project costs added to the pipeline in September, P63.48 billion came from renewable energy ventures, while P290 million was in manufacturing.

That extended the dominance of renewable energy in the green lane program, which grants qualified strategic investments priority status for the expedited processing of government permits and other applications.

Since the program began in 2023 through September, renewable energy accounted for 76.61 percent of all certified projects and 85.96 percent of their combined project cost, according to BOI data. These ventures are expected to generate 278,799 jobs.

In 2026 alone, renewable energy ventures accounted for about four in every five projects certified and nearly 99 percent of their total project cost.

Of the 190 renewable energy projects in the green lane pipeline, 156 remain in the predevelopment stage and 21 are under construction. Four others are in pre-operation, while only nine have become operational since the program began in 2023.

Overall, 66 percent of all green lane projects are still in predevelopment and only 12 percent are already operational.

That relatively small share of operating projects comes even as BOI data indicate that the program has significantly shortened the time needed to secure government permits and licenses, one of its main objectives.

Based on 122 permits and licenses processed, the average processing time under the green lane program stood at 7.67 days, about 60 percent faster than the 19.12-day processing period prescribed under the Citizen’s Charter.

Beyond renewable energy, the pipeline includes 10 digital infrastructure projects worth a combined P405.12 billion, while public-private partnership, infrastructure and water projects are collectively valued at P416.75 billion.

Another 33 food security projects are worth P19.68 billion, while eight manufacturing projects account for P67.33 billion. A pharmaceutical project is valued at P45 million.

Overall, the BOI expects the P6.43-trillion green lane pipeline to generate 428,074 jobs.

The municipality of Lope de Vega in Northern Samar was placed under a state of calamity on Wednesday, amid the widespread impact of El Niño now affecting agriculture, livelihoods, and residents’ health.

Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 15-120 declared the state of calamity, as local officials sought to mobilize resources and provide aid to communities affected by prolonged dry conditions.

Municipal records showed that about 917 farmers were affected by El Niño, with agricultural losses estimated at ?27 million involving 269.65 hectares of farmland.

The agricultural damage has placed additional pressure on farming families who depend on their crops for food and income, as prolonged dry conditions reduce water availability and threaten agricultural production.

The municipality also reported 114 cases of diarrhea, including four deaths, which authorities have linked to the adverse effects of El Niño.

The health situation of communities also raised concern, particularly as reduced water availability can affect sanitation, hygiene, and access to safe water.

A state of calamity declaration allows the local government to mobilize available resources and funds for emergency response, relief, and recovery efforts, particularly for affected families, farmers, and communities.

Under Republic Act No. 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, local government units can undertake disaster preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation measures and mobilize resources when communities are affected by disasters and emergencies.

For Lope de Vega, the declaration is expected to facilitate measures addressing the immediate needs of affected residents and support efforts to mitigate the continuing effects of El Niño.

These include assistance for affected farmers, support for agricultural recovery, interventions addressing water and health concerns, and strengthened coordination among government agencies and other stakeholders.

The declaration comes as Northern Samar continues to monitor the worsening effects of El Niño, with provincial and municipal authorities assessing agricultural damage, declining water sources, and other threats to communities.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned that the prevailing El Niño could persist into 2027, prompting local governments in the province to strengthen preparedness and response measures against prolonged dry conditions.

Sen. Mark Villar has joined the 13-member majority bloc in the Senate, according to Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Zubiri made the confirmation after the Senate elected Villar as chairman of the Senate committee on public works and a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) as part of the majority bloc.

‘Mr. President, pursuant to Section 18, Article 6 of the 1987 Constitution, I move that Senator Mark Villar be elected as a member of the Commission on Appointments vice Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. That’s myself. I’m giving way to Senator Villar, Mr. President’ Zubiri said in the plenary.

‘On the part of the majority pursuant to Rule 10, Section 13 of the Rules of the Senate, I move to elect Senator Mark Villar as chairperson of the Committee on Public Works, vice Senator Vicente Soto III,’ the majority leader added.

Both motions were approved on the Senate floor.

Zubiri, in a Viber message, later confirmed Villar’s decision to join the majority.

‘Yes, we just elected him to the CA and Public Works committee as part of the majority,’ Zubiri said.

Villar joined Sotto, Zubiri, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and 10 other senators in the majority bloc: Sens. Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo and Joel Villanueva.

Villar’s sister, Sen. Camille Villar, meanwhile, remains with the 10-member minority bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

The other minority members are Sens. Pia Cayetano, Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla.

Estrada and Marcoleta are currently detained in a Quezon City jail on separate plunder charges, while Dela Rosa has been in hiding amid an arrest order issued by the International Criminal Court.

Legarda, meanwhile, has been out of the country since Aug. 3 following the Office of the Ombudsman’s announcement that she and her son, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, would face a preliminary investigation over P10 billion worth of alleged ‘ghost’ solar power projects.

Before joining the majority, Villar voted with the bloc on Sept. 23 to amend the impeachment court’s July 6 ruling requiring a two-thirds majority, or at least 16 votes, of the Senate’s full 24-member composition to secure a conviction.

Under the amended ruling, the two-thirds threshold would be computed based only on the number of senators legally and factually capable of participating in impeachment proceedings.

Also on Thursday, Cayetano informed the Senate plenary that he would replace Legarda as a member of the CA.

‘Given the situation that three of the members of the minority in the Commission on Appointments are either politically or legally or both prevented from attending, I’d just like to manifest for the record that this representation will replace Senator Legarda,’ the minority leader said.

A motion was subsequently made during the plenary session to formalize Cayetano’s membership in the CA.

Efforts at conservation of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle (Pitechopaga jefferyi), the country’s national bird, suffered a setback in the past several days with two raptors having died from electrocution.

The first, a female juvenile eagle, was found dead near an electric post in Barangay Guinalaban, Salay, Misamis Oriental on Oct. 1.

The second, also a female eagle, was found dead in Barangay Libertad in Arakan, Cotabato on Oct. 4.

Both had burn marks, and separate necropsy procedures had established that they died of electrocution.

Dr. Jayson Ibañez, Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) director for operations, said the death of the two eagles was tragic.

‘The two tragic eagle deaths from electrocution just three days apart are unprecedented. But the fact that we have now documented four eagle deaths caused by landing on power lines underscores the seriousness of this threat. This is something we can no longer ignore,’ Ibanez said.

The first recorded case of electrocution of a Philippine Eagle was in 2004, involving ‘Kabayan,’ a captive-bred eagle born on November 24, 2002, and was adopted by then Senator Noli de Castro.

Kabayan was released on April 22, 2004, near the Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant facility in Ilomavis, Kidapawan City in Cotabato province.

More than a year after it was freed inside the forest reserve managed by Energy Development Corp., he died of electrocution after it perched on a live wire.

The second was that of ‘Sinaka’ in 2018. Sinaka was a wild-hatched Philippine Eagle that was found dead near a powerline in Cotabato province.

‘Salay’ and ‘Arakan’ were the third anf fourth cases, respectively, Ibañez said.

Amid the seemingly unavoidable threat, I?añez said there is ‘reason for hope.’

‘Proven mitigation techniques are already available to reduce the risk of electrocution. What we need now is close collaboration among the Philippine Eagle Foundation, environment department, and electricity distribution utilities to identify high-risk areas and adopt appropriate mitigation measures. Together, we can make these power lines safer for our eagles,’ he explained.

He added that the energy department can bolster the measure by making the mitigation mandatory.

Ibañez told the Inquirer that in Sinaka’s case, an electrical inspection found an exposed secondary line carrying 220 volts. ‘The eagle apparently contacted two energized wires at the same time, allowing the voltage to pass through its body,’ he said.

‘The death led to action at Mt. Sinaka in Arakan, where PEF had validated an eagle nesting site in 1985 that produced at least 11 young eagles that were hatched in that area through the years.

He recalled that Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco) and partners worked to make the powerline safer around the eagle nesting area, with funding for the powerline retrofitting provided by Suntory Japan through the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network.

Cotelco contributed manpower, transport, installation and maintenance support, he added.

Salay in Misamis Oriental would need a similar intervention as the area is also a habitat for the national bird.

‘So what we would want to do is seek the help of the electric cooperatives who are owners of these power poles and introduce an innovative techology that retrofits and protects those cross arms so that they won’t electrocute our eagles. And this is a pretty standard technology already being used by companies in places where eagles are also getting electrocuted, for instance, in Mongolia, the Middle East, places in the United States and in Europe,’ Ibañez said.

‘This technology is relatively cheap hence not impose additional financial burden to the companies,’ he added.

‘The goal should not be to wait for another eagle to die before making the next powerline safer. Bird-safe powerline design should become part of long-term infrastructure planning wherever electrical systems overlap with Philippine Eagle habitat,’ Ibañez pointed out.

Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the Asian Games again exposed a problem that has followed the national team through the years: the availability of Filipino players based abroad.

Without the team’s mainstays and naturalized star Justin Brownlee, the Nationals went with an all-PBA roster with a lone holdover from the gold medal run in Hangzhou to defend their title in the men’s 5-on-5 basketball Asian Games.

The Philippines placed ninth, its worst finish in Asian Games history after failing to advance from the group stage with a 1-2 record.

During a Senate hearing on Thursday, Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone pointed out that the intention was to bring the country’s best players to Japan, but the options were limited by the restrictions placed by the Filipino imports’ foreign mother clubs.

This differs from Fiba-sanctioned tournaments such as the World Cup and Asian Qualifiers, where clubs are required to release players for national team duty.

‘They were forced to play, those teams were forced to release those players because it’s a Fiba-sponsored tournament,’ Cone said of the players who competed for Gilas during Fiba tournaments. ‘If they don’t release those players, then Fiba will suspend their country from other events.’

‘So that’s why we couldn’t bring the same core. We actually wanted to bring the same core,’ Cone said.

Cone was referring to the players who suited up for Gilas Pilipinas’ homestand in the fourth window of the Asian Qualifiers late in August but couldn’t join the team for Japan.

He said Japan and South Korea were able to allow players from their domestic leagues to represent their countries in the Asian Games, while several Filipino players under contract abroad were not released.

South Korea eventually won the men’s basketball gold medal, beating Japan in the final.

Among those unavailable were Kai Sotto, who recently rejoined the Japan B.League, along with Dwight Ramos, Mike Phillips, AJ Edu, and Quentin Millora-Brown, according to Cone.

Cone said Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo, who are playing in separate teams in the Korean Basketball League, were initially expected to be allowed to play in Aichi-Nagoya, but that changed two weeks before the start of the Philippines’ preparations.

‘We don’t have control because they’re under contract with those teams. So they could not break those,’ Cone said.

‘They all wanted to play in the Asian Games, but were disallowed to play.’

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy pointed out that Gilas also missed players who ply their trade overseas during its Asian Games title campaign in 2023 following the Fiba World Cup in Manila.

This time, though, Brownlee was sidelined by health issues, while other naturalized players such as Ange Kouame and Benny Boatwright were also unavailable.

With the same issue potentially looming over future multi-sport campaigns such as the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, Cone said the country needs to find a way to secure the release of its best players.

‘We have to develop some kind of mechanism to get players released to come to these games,’ Cone said. ‘We can’t bring a secondary team and expect to beat the best of Korea, China or Japan or Lebanon or any other team. We have to bring our best to compete with them.’

‘Until we find a mechanism that forces the teams to allow us to grab these players, we’ll be in the same situation four years from now.’