Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) further trimmed its growth outlook on the Philippines, citing weak government spending amid a widening graft scandal that has implicated high-ranking state officials.

In its latest Asian Development Outlook, the Manila-based lender cut its 2025 gross domestic product forecast for its host country to 5 percent, down from an earlier projection of 5.6 percent.

The bank expects a mild recovery to 5.3 percent in 2026, though that, too, is weaker than its previous estimate of 5.7 percent.

Ina Raymundo is still a head-turner at 50, exuding sultry vibes in the shoot that celebrated the milestone.

The actress and mom of five showed a series of snaps from her birthday shoot through her Instagram page on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

In the photos captured by celebrity photographer Mark Nicdao, Raymundo donned several outfits including one-piece animal print and white swimwears, an all-black suit ensemble, a white mini dress, and an embellished high-slit dress.

‘Less is more yesterday, but a little bit extra today,’ her caption read. ‘Cheers to 50! Extremely grateful, always.’

In a separate post, Raymundo expressed her gratitude for the milestone.

‘Thankful for where I am today. No more doubting or second guessing, just accepting, embracing and loving all the way,’ she wrote.

Aside from her 50th birthday, Raymundo also recently celebrated her 23rd wedding anniversary with her husband Brian Poturnak.

The couple marked the occasion by going on a dinner date with their three daughters Anika, Mikaela and Minka. Aside from their three daughters, Raymundo and Poturnak have two more older children, namely Erika and Jakob.

Among Raymundo’s most recent projects is the TV series ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ which ran from 2023 to 2024.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants sufficient evidence in the cases filed against businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang and at least 21 others for their alleged involvement in the disappearance of several ‘sabungeros’ (cockfighting enthusiasts), Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.

These remarks came after she was asked to comment on the development detailed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday.

‘What the President always wants is that if a case is to be filed, it must be based on evidence. He doesn’t want immediate investigations without evidence, because innocent people would also end up suffering,’ Castro, speaking Filipino, said at a briefing on Wednesday.

‘So again, we say, unlike others, the President wants everything to be based on evidence, not done hastily,’ Castro added in Filipino.

Castro was also asked how the government plans to ease public concern that Ang’s cases might receive special treatment, but she did not give a direct answer.

‘On the part of the DOJ, they have a resolution themselves-a resolution that shows prima facie evidence that there is reasonable certainty of conviction. So, it’s in the hands of the court,’ she said.

‘So, special treatment from the court? We cannot say that; we cannot speculate on that,’ the Palace official added.

In a statement, the DOJ said government prosecutors have indicted Ang and 21 others for the alleged deaths of several sabungeros.

Ang is facing 10 counts of kidnapping with homicide and 16 counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

For kidnapping with homicide, the DOJ said Ang has more than 21 co-accused, including 15 policemen, while for kidnapping with serious illegal detention, Ang has nine co-accused along with several John and Jane Does. /jpv

John Derick Farr claimed the first medal of Team Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 2025) on Wednesday here.

Farr took bronze in the men’s MTB (mountain bike) downhill event at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located an hour from BangkokFarr clocked in at two minutes and 43.676 seconds to secure a podium finish. Thailand’s Boonsae Methasit won the gold at 2:37.856 with Indonesia’s Sanjaya Rendy Varera taking the silver at 2:38.714.

The Las Pinas City native initially took the hot seat as event leader only to be dislodged out of top spot by the hometown bet.

It was his second straight bronze after placing third three years ago in Hanoi. Farr captured gold at the 2019 edition in Batangas.

Downhill was scrapped two years ago in Cambodia.

Farr’s medal finish came shortly before Justin Kobe Macario ruled the men’s individual poomsae competition for Team Philippines’ first gold.

Simon Peter Servillon, 20-year-old from Davao City, came up short of reaching the podium as he finished fourth in his SEA Games debut at 2:45.866.

Meanwhile, Lea Denise Belgira placed fourth in the women’s side after completing the 1.3-kilometer track at 3:22.478.

Thailand’s Vipayee Deekaballes won at 3:03.289, followed by Indonesia’s Riska Amelia Agustina at 3:04.874 and Thailand’s Kanokrat Ritthidet at 3:06.778.

The Philippine peso tumbled to a fresh record low on Tuesday, pressured by growing expectations that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would cut interest rates later this week.

The slide also came as the dollar strengthened on renewed speculation that a divided Federal Reserve (Fed) may limit its own easing cycle. The local currency shed 28.5 centavos from its previous finish to close at 59.22 against the greenback, beating the previous record low of 59.17 seen last Nov. 12.

Total trading volume stood at $1.1 billion, lower than the preceding session’s $1.4 billion.

The depreciation happened a few days before the BSP’s final rate-setting meeting for the year on Dec. 11.

Economists

All 13 economists surveyed by the Inquirer expected the powerful Monetary Board to slash the benchmark rate-which guides bank lending costs-by a quarter point to 4.5 percent at the policymaking body’s meeting later this week.

If the strong consensus is right, it would bring the cumulative reduction since the easing cycle started in August last year to 2 percentage points.

‘The peso reached new lows today as market views firmed that the BSP will very likely deliver a rate cut,’ a trader said.

‘Adding to this renewed weakness is the potential citing of upside US inflationary risks during this week’s Fed presscon following the release of still above 2 percent core PCE (personal consumption expenditures) inflation, which is the key inflation metric being monitored by the US central bank,’ the trader added.

A weaker peso carries mixed consequences for the Philippines.

It boosts the domestic value of remittances sent home by millions of overseas workers, supporting consumption in an economy that relies heavily on these cash transfers.

But it also risks driving up import costs and reigniting inflation. Prolonged depreciation, meanwhile, inflates the peso value of foreign debts held by the government and private firms.

As it is, the BSP has enough space to deliver a fresh cut to shore up growth, which slumped to a four-year low of 4 percent in the third quarter amid an ongoing graft scandal.

Inflation

Ahead of the central bank’s next meeting, state statisticians reported that consumer prices rose 1.5 percent from a year ago in November, the softest pace of increase in four months.

A widely expected rate cut by the Fed at its Dec. 9 to Dec. 10 meeting could also give the BSP more confidence to ease further with fewer currency risks.

But some observers believe the Fed’s policy committee could be sharply divided, and that this week’s widely anticipated easing may be followed by a pause.

The Philippine central bank earlier signaled it would allow market forces to determine the exchange rate, intervening only if a sustained downturn threatens to fuel imported inflation rather than to smooth out day-to-day volatility.

‘Exchange rates might move between 59.10 and 59.35,’ another trader said. INQ

Miss Universe 2025 Fatima Bosch reportedly made an abrupt exit from her interview with American Spanish-language TV network Telemundo after she was asked about the controversies hounding the pageant and her win.

The network said this via its Facebook page on Tuesday, Dec. 9, while showing a photo of the Mexican beauty queen from the interview.

‘Fatima Bosch leaves Telemundo and cancels agenda with the television!’ the English translation of the Spanish caption read.

Bosch, as per Spanish magazine Hola!, had an interview on Telemundo’s show ‘Pica y se Extiende’ with hosts Lourdes Stephen and Carlos Adyan.

Their conversation included questions about Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha’s frozen bank accounts amid his alleged involvement in drugs, fuel and weapons trafficking, as well as Miss Universe Thailand and Miss Grand International (MGI) president Nawat Itsaragrisil’s criminal complaint against Bosch.

‘I don’t have any lawsuit. I haven’t defamed anyone. I don’t want to talk about that,’ Bosch said.

However, Adyan reportedly later disclosed that Bosch told him off air that her father has been ‘handling the legal situation.’

Bosch and the hosts also delved on the topic of the 2025 delegates’ visa, which apparently referenced Rocha’s remark about how Cote d’Ivoire bet Olivia Yace’s loss was due to her ‘weak passport.’

‘I don’t know the rules in detail, but everyone should have the same opportunities to win, no matter their passport,’ the magazine quoted Bosch.

She, however, also noted, ‘Miss Universe is a business and a job. If you have to travel around the world, it’s obvious that you need someone who can travel easily.’

The show went on brief break then returned on air without Bosch. The hosts said that the beauty queen ‘decided to leave the studio’ and cancel her scheduled guestings in the network.

Bosch as well as the MUO have yet to comment on the matter as of this writing. /edv

Two remaining leaders of the New People’s Army – North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NPA-NCMRC) surrendered to troopers of the Philippine Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade (402Bde) in Agusan del Norte on Monday.

In a statement on Wednesday, the 402Bde identified the surrenderers as Ariel Galario Domino, the second deputy secretary of NCMRC, and Lorena Tomania Palda, the committee’s medic.

The 402Bde viewed the duo’s surrender as a major setback for the NCMRC’s weakening guerrilla network amid ongoing military operations in the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.

‘As a ranking personality, Domino was reportedly involved in critical decision-making and operational planning within the NCMRC’s Sub-Regional Committee 1,’ said Brig. Gen. Adolfo Espuelas Jr., the 402Bde commander.

He added that Palda is also responsible for providing combat medical support and training to NPA fighters under the committee.

‘Their surrender was the result of the relentless operational pressure, combined with effective coordination with local government units, former rebels, and community organizations,’ Espuelas said

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned the 16-country trip that Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte would want to take, as stated in a travel authority request submitted to the House leadership, asking if he was a Miss Universe on tour?

In an ambush interview on Wednesday, Tinio said that people expect lawmakers to be present during committee hearings and plenary sessions to represent the voice and interests of his district – and not abroad.

‘Well, what is he? A district representative or Miss Universe? The job of a congressman is to represent his district. The people should expect a higher standard of service from their elected representatives,’ Tinio said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Three points raised

‘The most basic thing, of course, is to be present in Congress so that you can bring the interests of your constituents, whether in the committee hearings or at the plenary. So that is my first point,’ he added.

According to Tinio, a lawmaker cannot claim to have participated in the House’s activities if he only watches livestreams of hearings and plenary sessions.

The Makabayan solon also questioned the timing of Duterte’s travel authority request, as it came days after he refused to appear before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

‘The second point: The timing of this request is dubious because it happened days after he was invited by the ICI to answer some questions regarding public infrastructure projects in the first district of Davao. So up to now they are not answering this in whatever available forum,’ he said.

‘And the third point: I read the news reports. He said he would attend sessions, whether at the committee or plenary, virtually. Well, if he really read the rules, the House leadership has to set when the virtual sessions take place, which means there is a formal process,’ Tinio added.

Dubious timing

Aside from Tinio, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon also expressed concern about Duterte’s travel, saying that while it was within the Davao solon’s right, he should make himself available to bodies doing an investigation on anomalous flood control projects.

Last November, Tinio and Ridon made separate revelations regarding alleged incomplete and ghost projects in Davao City, particularly in Duterte’s district.

‘While Rep. Paolo Duterte has the right to request travel clearances for foreign trips exceeding two months, he should make himself available to investigative bodies such as the Office of the Ombudsman for any proceedings on infrastructure and flood-control projects in his district,’ Ridon said.

On Tuesday, Duterte’s office confirmed the veracity of a letter addressed to House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, but insisted that it was supposedly a confidential document that was leaked by a House office to the media.

In the letter to Dy, Duterte said he will have an upcoming travel to the following countries:

Hong Kong and China

Malaysia

Indonesia

South Korea

Japan

Vietnam

Cambodia

United States

Australia

United Kingdom

the Netherlands

Germany

France

Belgium

Italy

Singapore

‘This is to request for a Travel Clearance for my upcoming travel to Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, United States, Australia, United Kingdom. the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Singapore from the 15th of December 2025 to 20th of February, 2026,’ Duterte said in his letter.

‘Rest assured that the expenses that will be incurred from this trip are from my personal funds alone. In addition, this is also to seek your kind indulgence in allowing this Representation to attend the scheduled plenary sessions and meetings virtually from the aforementioned dates. It is with esteemed appreciation if this will merit your preferential action and approval,’ he added.

Previous trips

This is not the first time that Duterte has requested a travel authority to the said countries. In March 2025, the House leadership approved the lawmaker’s request to travel to the same set of countries, plus Northern Ireland.

It is unclear why Duterte will travel to several countries, but his previous multi-country trip was made after his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested and taken into custody by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is based in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Last March 11, the older Duterte was stopped from leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as local authorities assisted the International Criminal Police Organization in enforcing the arrest order from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The arrest order was issued due to the crimes against humanity case filed against Duterte for his role in his administration’s drug war. /atm

Gian Christopher Santos earned a silver medal in the men’s 200m individual medley in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 2025) swimming on Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand.

Santos clocked 2:03.88 to finish second, narrowly missing the gold after Hung Nguyen Tran of Vietnam won the event with 2:02.11. Vietnam’s Quang Thuan Nguyen won the bronze with a time of 2:04.19.

Logan Wataru Noguchi fell short of a podium finish in the men’s 100m backstroke after finishing fourth with a time of 56.55, with Singapore’s Zheng Wen Quah getting the bronze with a time of 56.04. Jordan Paul Jamero Orogo placed seventh in the event (57.33).

In women’s 200m butterfly, Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh only finished fifth, clocking 2:18.01, while Kyla Louise Bulaga placed last with 2:23.05.

Cristina Renner placed sixth in 50m breaststroke (32.44).

In the 2023 SEA Games Cambodia, the Philippine swimming team bagged two gold, six silver, and eight bronze medals.

Ruffa Gutierrez has appealed to the public for prayers as her father, veteran actor Eddie Gutierrez, undergoes his first spinal procedure in Singapore.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Dec. 10, Ruffa shared that her father will be having his procedure today, Dec. 10, at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital Neuro Spine and Pain Center in Singapore.

‘We humbly ask for prayers for a successful procedure, steady hands for the doctors, and complete healing for our dad. May everything go smoothly and unfold according to His perfect will,’ captioned the actress alongside their family photos before Eddie’s operation.

The veteran actor was accompanied by his wife, Annabelle Rama, and two children, Ruffa and Raymond, for his procedure. In her post, Ruffa also extended her gratitude to the Filipino nurses caring for her father abroad as she shared a message to families who are facing the same situation.

‘To everyone facing their own battles this season, may God grant you strength, peace, and His healing embrace. From our family to yours, you are not alone,’ she said.

In the comments section, celebrities including Isabelle Daza, Vina Morales, Marjorie Barretto, Ogie Alcasid, Janno Gibbs and Dawn Zulueta extended their prayers for Eddie.

Likewise, the veteran actor’s son, Richard Gutierrez, and granddaughters Janine and Lorin Gutierrez also commented on the post to express their love.

The Gutierrez family had previously revealed that Eddie was ‘not feeling well’ in October but did not disclose his condition.

Eddie, affectionately dubbed the Elvis Presley of the Philippines, was cleared of prostate cancer in 2021 after he underwent an operation.