Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Is P500 really enough to buy a noche buena this coming Christmas? Malacañang said it depends on one’s strategy in buying and preparing a meal.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, during a briefing on Friday, was asked to comment on Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Roque’s statement that P500 is enough for a noche buena budget.

Apparently caught off guard by the question, Castro said she could not answer on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

But after some thought, the Palace official said it might be possible, depending on the buyer’s budgeting.

‘If I were to compute it, if I were to buy a kilo of cheap ham, not the branded one, it would be possible. Just ham,’ she said.

‘It depends on what you’ll buy, what you’re planning to buy because there are those pre-packaged items like chopsuey. Those are cheap. Then, you buy rice noodles and soy sauce.)

According to her, there are grocery stores that offer discounts especially as Christmas and New Year celebrations draw near.

‘That depends on your strategy, but I still won’t speak on behalf of DTI,’ she said.

On Thursday, Roque said a family of four can have a noche buena meal with just P500.

‘In fact, with P500 you can already buy ham. You can make macaroni salad and spaghetti. It also depends on how many people will be eating,’ she said in an interview with DZMM.

This calculation, however, garnered criticisms from the netizens, lawmakers and various groups.

One of them came from the labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno, which called Roque’s statement an ‘insult’ to Filipino workers.

‘While they are forced to tighten their belts to make ends meet, the corrupt – Bongbong Marcos, Sara Duterte, senators, congressmen, high-ranking government officials, and their accomplices among private contractors – are reveling in the people’s stolen taxes,’ the group said in a statement on Friday.

‘We, the workers, staff, employees and ordinary Filipinos are the ones who work hard, straining our bodies every day. Let us not allow ourselves to endure nothing but insults and hardships,’ it added.

INQUIRER.net sought comment from Roque regarding the matter but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Binibining Pilipinas Myrna Esguerra already felt something special about Catalina Duque even before the Colombian beauty got crowned as Miss International 2025.

The new queen bested 79 other aspirants for the title at the finals held at the Yoyogi National Stadium’s 2nd Gymnasium here on Nov. 27, while the Filipino contender finished as fourth runner-up

‘You know, the first time I saw Catalina, I know that she’s a real queen. And I’m just so proud of her,’ Esguerra told Inquirer Entertainment after the final ceremonies.

‘She’s so kind, and we talked a lot about our own cultures that are very similar to each other. And I know that she will be a great Miss International,’ continued the Filipino queen.

Esguerra’s Miss International journey in Japan has been a period of learning and self-discovery. And how she and the other delegates cheered whenever someone got called to the front clearly showed how women from different backgrounds can foster harmony

‘We really build everything here with love. And I’m so happy that each and evyone of us supports one another. It doesn’t feel like a competition, honestly,’ she shared.

The Filipino beauty said she always looked forward to having breakfast with her fellow delegates. ‘We’re gonna tell stories of each other about our countries, cultures, and own personal stories. Miss International encouraged everyone to build friendships,’ she said.

Esguerra may have fallen short of her mission to bring home the Philippines’ seventh Miss International victory, but she’s delighted with her accomplishment nonetheless.

Not only was she able to redeem the Philippines from last year’s outcome when the delegate missed the first call, she also brought the country back to the Top 5. Before her, Nicole Borromeo was third runner-up in the 2023 contest.

‘I’m very happy,’ Esguerra said of her placement, and for asserting the Philippines’ stellar reputation in the Miss International pageant as the most successful Asian nation.

‘I hope I made the Filipinos happy for tonight. Thank you so much,’ continued the Miss International runner-up, whose cheering squad in Tokyo comprised family members from different parts of the world, their friends, and the Filipino community in Japan

The National Telecommunications Communication (NTC) has mandated the shutdown of analog television service in 12 months, which will initially commence in Mega Manila.

This is part of the broader transition to digital broadcast service. The shift is meant to offer better viewing experience, improve signal reception and provide more program choices for viewers.

In a memorandum circular entitled ‘Guidelines for the Switch-Off of the Analogue TV Service in Mega Manila,’ NTC has set a 12-month timeline for broadcasters to fully shut off their analog TV networks. This is unless an extension is decided.

The regulator noted that TV networks assigned in the VHF (very high frequency) band have been providing simultaneous broadcasts of analog and digital TV services for more than eight years now.

Minority affected

NTC estimated that 80 percent of television households in Mega Manila are now receiving digital TV broadcasts. This indicates that most viewers ‘no longer rely on analog TV reception.’

The new circular said that the guidelines, which the NTC had signed on Nov. 6, would become effective 15 days upon publication. This means that NTC targets full transition to digital TV by November 2026.

But in consideration of some households that still rely on analog TV, the government will grant a 60-day countdown and public announcements prior to the actual shutdown.

The new ruling will cover cities of the National Capital Region, along with provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga and Bataan.

MREIT Inc., the real estate investment trust of property giant Megaworld Corp., has secured the regulator’s go signal to hike its capital stock to P8 billion from P5 billion, allowing it to fund expansion plans.

The firm said Friday the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval would enable MREIT to move forward with the issuance of new shares to acquire new properties. These include nine office assets at McKinley Hill in Taguig City and one at Eastwood township in Quezon City.

Aside from office acquisitions, the group is likewise pushing for portfolio diversification, targeting select retail properties.

‘With the approval of our ACS (authorized capital stock) increase, we are now structurally positioned to pursue the next phase of our growth strategy,’ said Jose Arnulfo Batac, president and chief executive officer of MREIT Inc.

‘This milestone allows us to prepare for fresh acquisitions that will further scale our portfolio and support long-term value creation for our shareholders,’ the official added.

On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Gender Council released a warning about ‘the global rise of extremism that poses an unprecedented threat to women’s rights and to the safety of women journalists.’

IFJ is the world’s largest organization of journalists. Established in 1926, it represents around 600,000 journalists in 187 unions and associations across 146 countries worldwide. In its latest statement, ‘Always the First Target’ (subtitled ‘Women’s rights are always the first target of extremism’), IFJ expressed ‘deep concern over the expansion of extremist movements that are undermining women’s rights worldwide and fueling targeted attacks against women journalists.’ These are carried out particularly through online abuse, harassment, violence, and coordinated disinformation campaigns.

IFJ named Afghanistan, ‘far-right political parties’ in certain European countries, Argentina, and Somalia as places where women journalists face attacks and ‘a wave of threats,’ especially when they cover gender issues. Readers and journalists on the move can access IFJ’s full statement online and read about what women journalists have had to go through in the places mentioned.

From IFJ Gender Council chair Maria Angeles Samperio: ‘Without robust, enforceable gender policies and genuine protection for journalists reporting on far-right activities, all the progress we have fought for could be undone in an instant. We need governments, newsrooms, and digital platforms to act urgently to strengthen legislation, raise journalistic ethical standards, and confront the toxic online campaigns that seek to silence us as journalists. Safeguarding women’s rights and ensuring diverse, fearless journalism is not optional; it is the foundation of any democratic and humane society.’

Nov. 25 marked the start of the global observance of IDEVAW. In many places, the observance will go on for 18 days until Dec. 12. Nov. 25, 1960, was when the Mirabal sisters (Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dede), political activists, were assassinated during the dictatorial reign of Rafael Trujillo Sr. in the Dominican Republic.

IDEVAW was begun to honor the Mirabal sisters and to call attention to other women who had undergone or who continue to undergo similar injustices, and to stop and prevent all forms of violence against women (VAW). Trujillo Sr. (1891 to 1961), a military officer and dictator, was himself assassinated not long after the brutal killing of the Mirabal sisters, who had opposed his rule.

Of the Mirabal sisters, the Philippines-based Center for Women’s Resources says: ‘Their legacy endures as a powerful symbol of women’s resistance to state repression, gender-based violence, and systems that silence and endanger women.’ Such violence is not inevitable, CWR reminds, but it can be prevented and requires collective action.

CWR adds that on the global scene, one in every three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. On the home front, it cites the Philippine National Police’s recorded 12,046 cases of VAW from January to November 2024. This means that some 36 women experience violence every day. The number could be more because ‘only one in 10 cases is reported.’ Advocates of women’s rights have a way of finding unreported cases.

It is heartwarming to know that other groups that support women and girls are also joining the 18-day anti-VAW observance. Among them are the Religious of the Good Shepherd, who minister to women and girls in crisis situations. The sisters hold ‘orange days’ when they wear anything orange to raise consciousness about how to prevent and combat VAW. Elsewhere in the world, sisters highlight in their ministries the importance of raising people’s awareness about VAW. Trust so-called ‘nun-sense.’

CWR cites reasons why many women choose to remain silent, among them, victim-blaming, lack of information about where to seek help, and distrust in authorities.

‘Survivors are often made to feel responsible for the abuse they endured, discouraging them from speaking out and seeking help. This silence is reinforced by repeated experiences of harassment, neglect, or worse, violence from individuals in positions of power.’

During disasters and displacements, as well as armed conflicts, women and girls face even greater risks of abuse and threats to their vulnerability.

Who can forget a former misogynist president of this woebegone republic who said to his feckless, adoring crowd that he should have been the first in line to rape the foreign missionary who was taken hostage? He is now in Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, in the Netherlands, where he awaits trial before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is set to fully redeem the remaining P2.867 billion of its 12-year fixed-rate bonds when the securities reach maturity this December.

In a regulatory filing, Meralco said the P7-billion bonds – issued in 2013 carried a 4.875 percent annual interest rate – would be redeemed at 100 percent of face value. It will also pay all accrued and unpaid interest up to the maturity date, in line with the bond prospectus and trust indenture.

The bonds are maturing on Dec. 12.

The outstanding amount was reduced in 2023 after some qualified bondholders had exercised the 10th-year put option, leading to the redemption of P4.132 billion of the bonds.

Payment

According to the company, the Philippine Depository and Trust Corp., acting as paying agent, will remit the final redemption proceeds to the designated cash settlement accounts of bondholders recorded as of Dec. 10.

Meralco also advised that the bonds would cease to accrue interest on the maturity date. Aggregate redemption amount is P2.902 billion, inclusive of gross accrued interest prior to applicable tax deductions.

Each minimum denomination of P50,000 will receive P50,609.38 before taxes.

First Gen Corp.’s exit from the local bourse looms as an option for the Lopez group after securing P50-billion fresh funds from its recent gas asset sale.

The company made this disclosure Friday following a news report from Insider.ph about the possibility of First Gen delisting from the Philippine Stock Exchange following its deal with Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc.

However, the publicly listed renewable energy firm clarified that no definitive decision has been made at this time.

‘First Gen Corporation confirms that delisting the company is one of the options available to it, and one that the company may consider in the future,’ the company said. ‘However, at the moment, there are no definitive plans to delist the company.’

This comes as the company continues to reposition its portfolio following the multibillion-peso gas transaction with Prime Infra, which the company earlier said would help accelerate investments in geothermal power-its most consistent and scalable renewable energy segment.

The firm has been targeting 13,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030, a goal that remains under review but is still considered its benchmark.

First Gen currently operates 1,651 MW of clean energy facilities, with geothermal accounting for the largest share.

Share the windfall?

Carlos Lorenzo Vega, First Gen chief customer engagement officer, said recently that proceeds from the gas sale would be channeled primarily into geothermal expansion to strengthen the group’s renewable energy pipeline.

The company retained a 40-percent stake in the gas assets, which it still views as a crucial transition fuel as it scales up clean energy deployment.

Meanwhile, Juan Paolo Colet, managing director at China Bank Capital Corp., pointed out that First Gen has ample reason to consider delisting.

‘The stock price has been undervalued for a long time; the public float is very low, and there’s not a lot of trading liquidity,’ Colet said in a message.

‘After the majority sale of its gas business, perhaps the best use of its cash windfall is to give public shareholders an orderly exit via a delisting tender offer at a good price,’ he added.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will just shrug off the accusations made by resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co regarding her alleged agricultural smuggling interference as Congress was inquiring into rising food prices, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Friday.

This was the answer given by Castro when she was asked about the first lady’s reaction to the allegations, which Co made through a ‘tell-all’ video statement released on Wednesday.

‘We know how the first lady reacts to negative news like these baseless stories. She will simply shrug it off because we know, and she knows what the truth is,’ Castro said during a Palace briefing.

She added that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., one of the personalities mentioned by Co in the video, had already refuted the allegations, and that both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Araneta-Marcos know what is correct and what is not.

‘The first lady and the president know the truth. And in the past few days, Secretary Kiko Laurel himself confirmed what the truth is, and what his experience was in speaking or dealing with Zaldy Co,’ Castro said.

In his video, Co accused Araneta-Marcos of trying to stop congressional inquiries into soaring food prices on behalf of her brother, Martin Araneta, who was implicated in the 2022 onion price crisis.

Tiu Laurel, for his part, said the former legislator’s corruption allegations were a ‘fabricated lie.’

‘It’s total baloney. I even said it’s like a script from a Netflix series. He’s really good. You can call him a tailor. He’s excellent at stitching stories together,’ the DA chief said in a message to reporters, hours after Co released his video.

Rice farming is central to Philippine food security. In recent months , farmers had experienced excessively low farmgate palay prices at ?10-?12 per kilogram , far below production costs of P18 to P20/kg.

EO 100 directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to set a floor price for palay, but lacked Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) and funding for the National Food Authority (NFA).

EO 101 was later issued to operationalize the floor price through NFA’s Price Range Scheme (PRICERS). PRICERS was designed to operationalize the government’s floor price for palay. It ensures that NFA’s procurement prices adjust to market realities while still guaranteeing farmers a minimum income.

PRICERS is NFA’s structured, adjustable price band for palay procurement, operationalizing the floor price mandated by EO 101.

The price ranges at ?23-?30 per kilo for clean and dry palay and for fresh or wet palay, the range is ?17-?23 per kilo, depending on moisture content and quality.

By setting a floor price, EO 101 demonstrates strong state commitment to agriculture and food security. It signals to farmers that the government recognizes their struggles and is willing to intervene to protect their livelihoods.

EO 101 complements EO 100 by enabling the National Food Authority (NFA) to act through the Price Range Scheme (PRICERS).

This provides a concrete operational pathway for implementing the floor price, which EO 100 lacked.

EO 101 reduces volatility in palay markets. It helps stabilize supply chains and ensures that farmers can plan production with greater confidence, knowing that their crops will not be undervalued. It provides a safety net, guaranteeing that farmers receive at least a minimum return for their harvest.

EO 101 does not guarantee sufficient budget allocation for NFA procurement. Without dedicated funds, NFA cannot purchase palay at scale, limiting the reach of the floor price mechanism and leaving many farmers unassisted.

NFA’s limited capacity and history of inefficiencies pose challenges for effective rollout.

Expanding procurement operations nationwide requires significant logistical and administrative resources, which may strain the agency.

No official IRR for EO101 has been published yet. This means agencies are relying on the EO text and existing NFA procurement guidelines, which could lead to uneven implementation.

Without IRR, regional NFA offices or partner agencies may interpret the price range differently.

IRR usually specifies procedures (e.g., quality standards, moisture content testing, documentation, payment timelines). Farmers and traders need clear rules to prevent uneven enforcement or arbitrary application of the price bands.

The Sagip Saka Act (Republic Act 11321) provides the legal framework for government agencies to directly purchase agricultural products from farmers and fisherfolk.

Through EO 101 Local Government Units (LGUs) are empowered to purchase palay directly from farmers without public bidding under the Sagip Saka framework.

EO 101 highlights that LGUs can legally buy palay without bidding. However, their financial and logistical constraints will make large-scale implementation impractical unless additional support systems are provided.

While this provision is designed to decentralize procurement and bring government support closer to farmers, it faces several limitations:

Most LGUs do not have warehouses or drying facilities to properly store palay. Without milling systems, they cannot process palay into rice for resale.

Agricultural procurement and rice trading are not core LGU functions. Their primary responsibilities lie in governance, basic services, and local development, making palay procurement an added burden.

Agricultural towns and municipalities often have limited budgets. Funding palay purchases, hiring personnel, and covering logistics costs would strain their finances.

Without proper infrastructure and expertise, LGU-led procurement may lead to inefficiencies, spoilage, or even corruption.

Moreover, under the Sagip Saka Act, only registered farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) are eligible to transact directly with government procurement programs.

This requirement excludes about 95% of farmers, since only 4-6% are members of registered cooperatives. As a result, the majority of smallholder farmers cannot benefit from EO 101..

While EO 101 can be a positive intervention for rice farmers, but its reliance on Sagip Saka eligibility rules and the limited capacity of LGUs severely restrict its reach.

By excluding 95% of farmers who are not members of registered cooperatives, and by burdening LGUs with responsibilities outside their mandate, EO 101 risks becoming a partial or ineffective solution. Without reforms, its impact on price stabilization and farmer welfare will remain a legal artifact

EO 101 can be made effective but the following must be done:

-Expand eligibility beyond cooperatives by amending Sagip Saka rules to allow individual farmers and informal groups to participate.

-Create a simplified registration system for smallholder farmers

-Fast-track cooperative registration by providing assistance for farmers to form and register cooperatives.

-Offer incentives such as tax breaks or grants for newly registered groups;

-Support LGUs with infrastructure and funding

-Establish shared warehouses and drying facilities at the provincial level.

-1Provide special budget allocations to LGUs for palay procurement, separate from their IRA.

-1Train LGU personnel in agricultural procurement and logistics

-Establish a national database of farmers eligible for NFA procuremen

-1Use mobile platforms to register farmers quickly and transparently

-Create regional monitoring committees with farmer representation and ensure transparency in procurement and payment processes.

White Plains Avenue will be temporarily closed for the Trillion Peso March starting 6 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30, the Quezon City government announced.

‘As preparation for the said event, a zipper lane will be implemented on the stretch of White Plains Avenue between Edsa and Katipunan Avenue starting 9 p.m. on Nov. 29 until 6 a.m. on Nov. 30,’ the Quezon City government noted in an advisory on Friday.

The advisory further said heavier traffic can be expected on the following roads during the rally:

Edsa

Katipunan Avenue

Ortigas Avenue

Temple Drive

‘Motorists are advised to take alternative routes,’ the Quezon City government advised.

It added that the following areas can be used for parking during the Trillion Peso March:

Temple Drive up to Giraffe St. (for light vehicles)

B. Serrano Ave. eastbound (one-side parking for buses)

18th and 20th Aves. (for buses and light vehicles)

Along Edsa from People Power Monument up to Camp Aguinaldo Gate 3 (for friendly forces)

The city government also noted that its personnel along with those of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Quezon City Police District will be on stand-by to assist with traffic management during the event.