Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has completed its takeover of Franklin Baker, one of the leading coconut processors in the Philippines.

This comes just less than five months after the group’s agri-food unit Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. (MPAV) entered into a pact to buy Franklin Baker.

‘In our drive to build a stronger agricultural sector, this acquisition supports key industries such as coconut processing,’ said Pangilinan, chair and CEO of MPIC.

‘By bringing Franklin Baker into our portfolio, we are strengthening an important segment of the supply chain and helping ensure that thousands of Filipino farmers and communities benefit from a more efficient and stable industry,’ he added.

The group said the move injects Franklin Baker with ‘immediate capital and strategic support to clear pending export backlogs and stabilize the operations.’

MPIC did not disclose the transaction value.

The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) has thrown its support behind Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the former senator who was among those recently tagged in anomalous flood control projects.

In a statement on Tuesday, the country’s largest group of Filipino-Chinese businesses asserted that Angara had a solid track record as a lawmaker and is crucial in steering the country’s education sector.

‘Since his appointment, Secretary Angara has applied this exacting, reformist approach to the Department of Education,’ the FFCCCII said. ‘His leadership has been characterized by integrity, transparency, and a resolute focus on strengthening systems, empowering teachers, and improving learning outcomes.’

Earlier in November, Angara, along with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former senator Grace Poe, was accused by former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo of receiving kickbacks from multibillion-peso infrastructure projects by the government.

Angara had denied his involvement in the supposed infrastructure scheme. He had also rejected any suggestion for him to step down as education chief.

Unsubstantiated

For the FFCCCII, the accusations against Angara were ‘unsubstantiated.’ It stressed that any concern must be addressed through proper channels, not through an ‘unfair trial.’

‘We call for any legitimate concerns to be addressed swiftly and fairly through the proper channels. The national focus must remain unequivocally on supporting our educators and learners,’ the group said.

‘The FFCCCII expresses its full confidence in Secretary Angara’s leadership to steward this mission and stands united behind the imperative of allocating resources effectively for the benefit of all Filipino students,’ it added.

Growing expectations of a slow 2025 economic growth increased the odds of another interest rate cut at the Dec. 11 policy meeting of the Monetary Board, Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said on Wednesday.

Even so, Remolona told reporters that an easing move next week was ‘not assured’.

‘I think we all agree that for 2025, growth will be slow,’ he said.

‘We think maybe [growth will be] between 4 percent and 5 percent. But the recovery should start by 2026, maybe middle of 2026. And then we should be back on track by 2027,’ he added.

In a nutshell: The vivo Y21d is vivo’s latest addition to its line of smartphones. Overall, this phone is a great choice for those who are looking for a durable phone that can last for years. It’s designed to be durable and water-resistant and comes with the largest battery in the smartphone industry, without costing extra. It’s great for hours of entertainment, especially for creatives who are looking to dip their toes into a bit of underwater photography.

If you’re wondering whether this is the phone for you, read on! Here, we’ll go over the vivo Y21d’s key features and our honest thoughts on vivo’s latest addition to its smartphone series.

Overall design

The vivo Y21d is available in two stylish colors – Lavender Purple and Glowing Black. It has a sleek, metal-inspired, matte frame that combines style and comfort for an ultra-slim design that’s easy to hold.

Vivo’s latest model also has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that offers a convenient but secure way to access the phone with just one tap.

With vivo’s flagship quad-curved back, the vivo Y21d is designed to be more suitable for both horizontal and vertical handheld use. We tested it out, and the phone was comfortable to hold in both portrait and landscape orientations – great for watching or recording videos and even for playing mobile games. You can hold the phone in your hands without it digging into your palms.

The phone also has an advanced lens module with a metal ring design that keeps the rear camera lenses protected.

The vivo Y21d comes with a standard set of accessories: a USB cable, a charger, a SIM eject tool, and a phone case.

Durability and power

While the vivo Y21d looks super slim, it’s designed to be durable, both inside and out. The casing is reinforced with military-grade cushioning that makes it drop-resistant.

The phone also has top-level dust and water resistance, certified by IP68 and IP69 standards for underwater use and water ejection. So whether it gets splashed with a bit of water or ends up in the wash, the vivo Y21d will still work. The one-tap water ejection easily clears water from the phone’s speakers for clear sound. It can even be used with wet hands.

But the phone’s durability doesn’t stop there. Powered by the industry’s largest battery, the 6500mAh BlueVolt, the vivo Y21d has long battery life. The battery can have up to 5 years of battery health and can handle up to 1600 charge cycles, offering long-lasting use for the same price.

The phone battery is also made to be fast-charging. With 44W FlashCharge, the vivo Y21d can get hours of battery life in minutes.

Camera and editing

With its quality dust and water resistance, the vivo Y21d can be great for underwater photography, just like the V series smartphones. The 50 MP main camera can capture clear photos and record footage clearly, even underwater. On the front, the phone has a 5 MP portrait camera, perfect for taking clear and vibrant selfies.

As for its image editing capabilities, the vivo Y21d can use AI to quickly touch up photos to enhance color depth and details, and make the images clearer.

Aside from AI-powered image editing, the phone also comes with AI assistant tools like Google’s Circle to Search and AI Screen Translation, which can translate articles and websites with just one tap.

Display and audio

Aside from its durability and high-definition cameras, the vivo Y21d is also great for hours of entertainment. Whether you’re playing mobile games or binge-watching your favorite shows, its enhanced dual speakers and clear display deliver HD audio and visuals for an immersive gaming or viewing experience.

The dual speakers greatly enhance audio, capable of boosting volume up to 400% so you can clearly hear your phone calls, videos, and games even in noisy backgrounds.

The phone’s 6.68-inch dotch display also delivers on immersiveness. With a high refresh rate of 120 Hz and up to 1000 Nits on screen brightness, the screen display remains clear and easy on the eyes even in bright or sunny environments.

Overall, the vivo Y21d is a great smartphone that can offer top-notch durability and long-lasting battery life for the same price.

The peso could return to the 58-per-dollar level in the first half of 2026 as government spending rebounds from a graft probe-driven slump and investor confidence improves, MUFG Global Markets Research said.

But any appreciation may be limited by the central bank’s increasingly pro-growth tilt, the Japanese lender added, noting that monetary authorities are moving to bolster the economy amid weak fiscal support.

‘We forecast peso to recover modestly, but this will be capped by a still dovish BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas),’ MUFG said in a note on Tuesday, adding that the currency’s weakness continues to reflect negative business sentiment as a corruption scandal undermines the state’s ability to support economic growth.

‘One key driver of the divergence between a weaker dollar and underperformance in the peso has been a sharp slowdown in government spending, including in public infrastructure, and the resultant impact this has had on capital inflows such as into the equity markets,’ it added.

Adjustments

After data showed the economy expanding just 4 percent in the third quarter-its slowest pace in over four years-President Marcos’s economic team acknowledged that the official macroeconomic targets may need adjustment to reflect the challenging realities created by the antigraft crackdown.

The probe has implicated lawmakers, members of the Cabinet, government engineers and some private contractors. Last week, the Bureau of the Treasury reported that public expenditures contracted by nearly 8 percent in October while revenues sagged by 6.6 percent, after the sweeping cleanup delayed infrastructure projects.

BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. had said another rate cut in December was ‘possible,’ though he ruled out the kind of aggressive easing that might fuel fears the economy was veering toward a hard landing amid the governance woes. Those reductions, in turn, could make local yields less appealing to foreign capital, which could weigh on the peso.

As it is, a weak peso cuts both ways for the Philippines. It can lift remittance inflows from migrant Filipino workers, fueling purchasing power in the consumption-reliant economy.

But it also risks fanning import costs and reigniting inflation. Prolonged currency weakness, meanwhile, could inflate the peso value of foreign debts held by both the government and private companies.

The BSP earlier signaled it would let market forces largely determine the exchange rate, intervening in the foreign exchange market only if a prolonged depreciation threatens to fuel imported inflation, rather than smoothing out daily volatility.

MUFG said the softer growth, uncertain fiscal impulse and continued negative output gap it forecasts in the Philippines implies the BSP is likely to remain dovish moving forward.

‘We have another 50 basis points of rate cuts in our forecast profile, and we see the risk tilted towards more cuts,’ the bank said.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. has stepped down from his post as a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) to assume a more independent role in Congress, the lawmaker said.

Garbin in a statement on Wednesday explained that his decision to leave the CA was not borne out of any disagreement or political rift, rather, it was due to a personal decision.

During Wednesday’s session, the House Majority elected Abono party-list Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella as a CA member, replacing Garbin.

‘After thoughtful reflection, I have decided to respectfully step down from my membership in the Commission on Appointments and to assume a more independent position in Congress. This decision comes from a place of personal conviction and continued commitment to public service-not from any form of disagreement, resentment, or political rift,’ Garbin said.

‘Public service has always been, for me, about responsibility, accountability, and honest engagement in nation-building. These values remain unchanged. Let me be clear: I have committed no wrongdoing, and I remain fully guided by the trust reposed in me by the people I serve,’ he added.

According to Garbin, despite his decision, he supports the House leadership and the Majority bloc.

‘I wish to emphasize that I will continue to support all programs, measures, and initiatives of the House leadership and the Majority that are genuinely beneficial to the Filipino people. I firmly believe that good governance transcends political alignment, and cooperation must always prevail when the public welfare is at stake,’ he said.

‘I will continue to help guide our organization in staying true to its original vision of advancing welfare-based programs for our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

I am not stepping away from my mandate. On the contrary, I reaffirm my full commitment to my duties as a legislator-guided by fairness, due process, and constructive participation in lawmaking,’ he added.

Garbin has faced some criticism over the past months due to his party-list’s association with former Rep. Elizaldy Co, who ran for Congress under the same banner. Garbin has defended Co several times amid allegations that the lawmaker was involved in the flood control corruption scandal, with a company linked to the latter being able to bag a huge amount of government contracts.

Last October 3, Garbin defended Co from Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s insinuations of corruption, noting that such allegations have not yet been proven in court.

Garbin said that while he respects Magalong’s views, the local chief executive should also be fair-as Magalong described Co by saying that he stole public funds during a Senate hearing on proposed budget reforms.

Garbin warned that Magalong’s statements may be considered as ‘justice that strikes before it hears’-which he believes is a ‘flawed system’ as public judgment is made ‘without proper consideration or hearing of all parties.’

‘Rep. Co’s resignation clearly shows delicadeza. He did this to ensure that there would be no influence or preference in whatever investigation that will be done against him,’ Garbin said.

Garbin also called out Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, a staunch critic of Co. According to Garbin, instead of being fixated on Co, Tiangco should first check his own backyard, as a company owned by the Discaya couple was supposedly able to bag a contract for flood control projects in his district.

Garbin said that Tiangco’s call for transparency should start with his own district, noting that issues mentioned by the Navotas lawmaker involved funds that were not released.

Garbin was referring to the claims from Tiangco about his Ako Bicol colleague, former appropriations committee chairperson and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, that the latter made over P13 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.

According to Garbin, some of the funds that Tiangco mentioned were not released, whereas the P529 million worth of alleged insertions in the flood control projects in Navotas were already downloaded to St. Timothy Construction Corp.-a firm owned by contractor-couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.

Aside from accusations of involvement in the flood control mess, Co was also accused of being part of a set of officials who made insertions into the 2025 national budget.

Last November, Co came out with a series of video statements wherein he accused past allies-former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.-of receiving kickbacks from a corruption scheme in the government’s infrastructure program.

A doctor who pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to Matthew Perry in the weeks before the ‘Friends’ star’s overdose death is set to be the first of five people sentenced in the case on Wednesday.

Perry’s family and possibly others affected by his death will have a chance to make a statement in federal court in Los Angeles before the sentencing of Dr. Salvador Plasencia.

Prosecutors are asking U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett to sentence Plasencia, 44, to three years in prison after a plea agreement where the doctor admitted to illegally selling Perry large amounts of ketamine. He was not accused of selling the actor the dose that investigators say killed him on Oct. 28, 2023.

Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling to Perry despite knowing he was a struggling addict. He texted another doctor that Perry was a ‘moron’ who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

‘Rather than do what was best for Mr. Perry – someone who had struggled with addiction for most of his life – defendant sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit,’ the prosecution’s sentencing memo said.

Plasencia’s lawyers tried to give a sympathetic portrait of him in their memo, as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients, some of whom provided testimonials about him for the court.

The attorneys called his selling to Perry ‘reckless’ and ‘the biggest mistake of his life.’

‘Remorse cannot begin to capture the pain, regret and shame that Mr. Plasencia feels for the tragedy that unfolded and that he failed to prevent,’ the memo said.

But, the lawyers wrote, ‘a sentence of imprisonment is neither necessary nor warranted. He has already lost his medical license, his clinic, and his career. He has also been viciously attacked in the media and threatened by strangers to the point where his family has moved out of state for their safety.’

Plasencia’s lawyers said he has moved to Arizona with his wife and 2-year-old son, for whom he is a loving caretaker.

‘I want him to be proud of his father,’ Plasencia said in a video he and his lawyers made for the judge. ‘I made mistakes, but I want him to know that I tried to make better choices after my mistakes.’

Plasencia pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine. Prosecutors agreed to drop five different counts. The agreement came with no sentencing guarantees, and legally Garnett can give him up to 40 years.

Perry’s mother Suzanne Perry and his stepfather, ‘Dateline’ journalist Keith Morrison, have attended previous hearings. They could be among those given a chance to speak before Plasencia is sentenced.

The other four defendants who reached deals to plead guilty will be sentenced at their own hearings in the coming months.

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on ‘Friends,’ when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit.

A woman in Antipolo City was shot dead after allegedly asking the gunman to buy drugs from her, the police said.

The incident occurred early Wednesday morning in Purok 5, Zone 8 in Barangay Cupang, Antipolo City, police chief Lt. Col. Mark Henry Garcia told reporters in a phone interview.

He did not identify both the suspect and the victim.

‘Inaalok [yung suspek] ng biktima na bumili ng shabu sa kanya. Tumanggi itong ating suspek, so pinagmumura itong ating suspek,’ Garcia explained. ‘Sumama ang loob nitong suspek dito sa ating biktima.’

(The victim tried to sell shabu to the suspect, who declined. The woman eventually started cursing the susepct.)

‘Pag-alis nitong biktima, sinundan naman nitong suspek sa paglalakad. Binaril sa ulo itong ating biktima,’ he added. ‘Dead on the spot [yung biktima].’

(When the woman left, the suspect followed her and shot in the head. The woman died on the spot.)

Garcia said no illegal drugs were recovered from the woman, who also did not have previously recorded drug-related offenses.

After closed-circuit television footage backtracking, a follow-up operation resulted in the arrest of the gunman in Barangay Cupang.

Garcia said that upon verification with police records, the arrested suspect was found to have an outstanding warrant for robbery.

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is bringing the hit ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank’ to the stage for the first time next year, with Eugene Domingo set to reprise her iconic role.

PETA said in a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 2, that the theatrical adaptation set for 2026 premiere will offer a ‘chaotic, sharp-witted, and laugh-out-loud look’ at the inner workings of Philippine theater.

‘In true Septic Tank fashion, the show takes audiences behind the curtain-then tears it down-exposing the ego, ambition, absurdity, and beautiful mess that fuels the industry today,’ it read.

According to its official synopsis, ‘Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 4: Oh Sh*t! It’s Live Sa Cheter!’ will explore everything from venue issues and ticket pricing to artistic disagreements, trends, and the evolving landscape of theater in the Philippines.

The move marks the latest chapter in the franchise that began in 2011 with the film ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank,’ which premiered at Cinemalaya. It follows three filmmakers chasing international acclaim at the expense of integrity. The movie became both a critical and commercial success.

A sequel followed in 2016, ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: Forever Is Not Enough,’ one of the official entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) at that time.

In 2023, ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken,’ a digital series, was released, this time chronicling Domingo’s fictional attempts to reinvent herself as a director.

For the theatrical debut, Domingo will headline the production, once again playing a fictionalized version of herself. Chris Martinez will write the script, while PETA artistic director Maribel Legarda will helm the staging. Casting for the rest of the ensemble will be announced at a later date.

Domingo last appeared in the 2025 Philippine staging of the musical ‘Into the Woods’ alongside Broadway superstar Lea Salonga. She also starred in the Netflix film ‘Kontrabida Academy’ opposite Barbie Forteza.

The theatrical production is set to run from June 19 to Aug. 16, 2026, at the PETA Theater Center.

Former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. has been included in the recommendation of the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to the Office of the Ombudsman for criminal prosecution, including plunder, in relation to the flood control anomalies.

Revilla’s name was included in the enumeration, which lists nine other names that are recommended for charges, according to ICI chairperson Andres Reyes Jr.

‘Possible cases are direct or indirect bribery, and corruption of public officials, plunder and administrative sanctions, among others,’ Reyes said in a regular press briefing.

In a swiftly-issued statement, Revilla’s camp said the senator is ‘deeply disappointed.’

According to Revilla’s spokesperson, Maria Carissa Guinto, the former senator has not received any subpoena or a copy of any complaint, stressing that ‘he was never given an opportunity to defend himself.’

‘From the beginning, our client made himself fully available to the ICI and openly welcomed their inquiry,’ Guinto said in a statement.

‘Yet he was never invited to speak, never given the opportunity to defend himself, and never allowed to present the truth.’

‘He is deeply disappointed to have been denied such a fundamental right, though he still holds trust and faith in the system,’ she continued.

Reyes said the ICI’s referral is based on the affidavits and testimonies given by Roberto Bernardo, former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Bernardo previously accused Revilla of seeking a 25 percent commission on flood control projects totaling P125 million, a claim Revilla has denied.

Guinto, however, said such ‘meaningless’ accusations are ‘fabricated by a criminal mastermind and his cohorts.’

According to Guinto, Revilla will answer the accusations once the Ombudsman gives him the right to a preliminary investigation.

Alleged ‘bagman’, 8 others in ICI referral

Aside from Revilla, the ICI will also refer to the Ombudsman the criminal prosecution of tech-billionaire Maynard Ngu.

Ngu, a businessman, was alleged by Bernardo to be a ‘bagman’ of Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, which the senator vehemently denied.

Eight other individuals tagged by Bernardo in flood control anomalies, including DPWH district engineers, were also included in ICI’s referral.

DPWH officials Gerard Opulencia, district engineer of North Manila District Engineering Office; Manny Bulusan, district engineer of South Manila District Engineering Office; Ruel Umali, district engineer of Metro Manila 3rd District Engineering Office; and Gene Ryan Altea, director of the agency’s Bureau of Maintenance, are included in the referral.

Individuals identified as certain Carleen Villa, J.Y. Dela Rosa, Carlo Aguilar and a ‘Mrs. Patron’ are likewise in the body’s recommendation.

4 senators referred for further review

Reyes also said the ICI also recommends that four former and incumbent senators be referred to the Ombudsman for further investigative review and case build-up ‘because of the gravity of the allegations.’

They are senators Escudero Mark Villar and former senators Nancy Binay and Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Poe, in a statement, said will submit to further investigations by the Ombudsman.

New proof vs Co, Bonoan, 6 others

Meanwhile, Reyes also said the ICI is also submitting more pieces of evidence before the Ombudsman against eight individuals, including resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co and former DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan.

Aside from Co and Bonoan, ICI collated new proof against Bernardo, former DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, Commission on Audit commissioner Mario Lipana, dismissed Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara, as well as dismissed Bulacan first district assistant engineers Jaypee Mendoza and Brice Hernandez.