Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Caloocan City 3rd District Rep. Dean Asistio said he met ‘Pacifico’ Curlee Discaya, who implicated him in the flood control corruption scandal, only once.

Asistio recalled this instance in a chance interview after attending a hearing of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday.

‘We met once,’ Asistio emphasized.

According to the lawmaker, he met Discaya in November 2024 during an event at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

‘There was an awarding ceremony inside Camp Aguinaldo. I was one of the awardees. Mr. Discaya was there as the award presenter,’ the lawmaker told reporters.

‘We met only once and then, I was just introduced to him. That was it,’ he recalled.

Since then, Asistio said he never saw Curlee again.

During a Senate hearing in September, Discaya implicated Asistio and several others in the flood control scandal, saying that they allegedly solicited money from his firm in connection with flood control projects.

Asistio denied the allegations.

The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) said that the condition of Miss Universe Jamaica 2025, Dr. Gabrielle Henry, who suffered a hard fall during the preliminary competition, has improved, and she is now close to being released from the hospital.

The organization released a statement on social media on Monday, Nov. 24, explaining that they felt compelled to address the rising speculation by providing a ‘clear and respectful update’ on Henry’s condition.

‘We are pleased to share that the latest medical report confirms that Dr. Gabrielle Henry is in good health and nearing discharge,’ read the statement. ‘While unfounded speculation has circulated publicly, our full attention has remained on Dr. Henry’s care and recovery.’

The MUO clarified that necessary actions took place right after Henry suffered the fall, and president Raul Rocha personally assisted the beauty queen in obtaining medical care.

‘From the moment the onstage accident occurred, immediate action was taken to ensure her safety and well-being,’ continued the statement. ‘I personally entered the stage to assist her, coordinated urgent medical attention, and oversaw her immediate transfer to the hospital.’

‘I recommended a series of precautionary actions, some beyond standard protocol. Additional medical specialists were also brought in to provide multiple professional assessments and ensure full clarity regarding her condition,’ it added.

The organization shared that they fully funded all related expenses for Henry and her family throughout the incident.

Henry’s fall occurred during the preliminary competition when she slipped from an elevated portion of the stage. Videos circulated widely online, prompting concern over possible spinal or head injuries.

Henry’s sister, Dr. Phylicia Henry-Samuels, earlier shared that the beauty queen ‘was not doing well’ and needed to remain in the intensive care unit (ICU) at a hospital in Thailand, three days after she fell off the stage.

Henry’s accident came amid the controversial results of the Miss Universe 2025 pageant, where Fatima Bosch of Mexico emerged as the winner and Philippine bet Ahtisa Manalo finished as third runner-up.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara thanked the Senate for its strong endorsement of the agency’s budget, saying it reflects a broader national commitment to push the country’s basic education agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

‘For us in the DepEd, the support of the Senate is clear proof that the entire country is focused on rebuilding basic education. This is an opportunity to build better classrooms, provide stronger support for our teachers, and ensure that our learners are healthier and prepared for the world. We will make this amount truly worthwhile through reforms that every Filipino will genuinely feel,’ Angara said.

Senators on Monday night rallied behind the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed PhP1.044-trillion budget for 2026, the largest in the country’s history, calling it a crucial step toward addressing long-standing issues in the basic education system.

During the plenary deliberations, budget sponsor and Senate Committee on Finance chair Win Gatchalian and lawmakers credited the increased allocation to what they described as DepEd’s clearer reform direction under Angara.

Sen. Bam Aquino, chair of the Committee on Basic Education, set the tone of support for the agency, telling DepEd officials: ‘To the DepEd family, we’re here to support. Ito pong budget na ito, ito po yung simula. Hopefully, it can be a fresh start for our education system. Basta pinagtutulungan po natin para sa ating kabataan, I’m sure maabot po natin ang ating pangarap natin para sa kabataan.’

Majority Leader Migz Zubiri echoed the endorsement, saying Congress placed its trust in Angara’s leadership.

‘We trust that under the able leadership of our distinguished former colleague, Secretary Sonny Angara, this sizable budget will accelerate the construction of classrooms, improve the compensation for teachers and tutors, and ensure that every learner has access to textbooks and other school materials that they need. I wish to congratulate Secretary Sonny and the entire DepEd family on the performance over the past year which has been foundational to securing this historic budget.’

Sen. Pia Cayetano also underscored DepEd’s preparedness to act on the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) recommendations: ‘What is so heartwarming is that many of the findings of EDCOM were very easily translatable into actionable action and final products because the Secretary was very familiar with it.’

Throughout the hearing, senators pressed DepEd on long-standing bottlenecks in the system even as they acknowledged that the department’s ongoing reforms are beginning to take clearer shape.

DepEd laid out efforts already underway-the streamlined Senior High School curriculum, stronger TESDA-aligned certification for Tech-Voc tracks, and the pilot rollout of the new SHS curriculum. Lawmakers welcomed these developments as signs of a more coherent and responsive education agenda.

Infrastructure was also highlighted as a central pillar of improvement. With the Senate coordinating with DepEd to adopt multiple construction pathways-via LGU partnerships, PPPs, CSOs, leasing schemes, and direct DepEd-managed builds-the agency is expected to accelerate classroom construction and ease overcrowding more significantly in the coming years.

DepEd also confirmed plans to eliminate the nationwide teacher shortage through expanded hiring in 2026, widen digital connectivity for thousands of unserved schools, and deploy 10,000 school counselor associates to strengthen mental health and anti-bullying support across campuses.

Former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co uploaded Tuesday morning another short video, aiming at Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, the President’s son, for allegedly making his own insertions in the national budget from 2023 to 2025.

‘Every year, as soon as we get to the bicam(eral conference committee) budget process, Congressman Sandro always has instructions to insert his projects (in the budget),’ Co said.

In sum, Co said Rep. Marcos, who was senior deputy majority leader in the 19th Congress and currently majority floor leader in the 20th Congress, inserted at least P50 billion in the past three years.

Co also alleged that when the 2025 budget came out, Rep. Marcos threatened to have him removed and to file multiple cases against him because there were ‘some P8 billion pesos worth of insertions that he wanted in, because there were already contractors who [had] already (paid) their advance to him.’

‘Because these projects were not inserted, he (Marcos) had to return the sums to them,’ Co said.

This is the latest episode in Co’s tell-all videos implicating President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., former Speaker Martin Romualdez, and several other high-ranking officials in Malacanang of initiating graft-ridden insertions in the 2025 budget.

Insertions are generally understood to be any change made from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the crafting of the general appropriations bill that is eventually enacted into law.

On Monday, President Marcos dismissed Co’s allegations against him and challenged him to return to the country and prove his claims.

The Inquirer has reached out to Rep. Marcos’ office for comment.

Asian investors on Tuesday welcomed more dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials reinforcing hopes it will cut interest rates next month, while a tech-led rally on Wall Street soothed recent AI bubble worries.

After a swoon in recent weeks, optimism appeared to be returning to trading floors as the chances of a third successive reduction in US borrowing costs increases as a weakening labour market offsets stubbornly high inflation.

Fed governor Christopher Waller told Fox Business on Monday that inflation was not his main worry and that his ‘concern is mainly the labour market, in terms of our dual mandate’ of the Fed to support jobs and keep a cap on prices.

‘So I’m advocating for a rate cut at the next meeting.’

Labor market

His comments echoed those of San Francisco Fed president Mary Daly, who told the Wall Street Journal: ‘On the labour market, I don’t feel as confident we can get ahead of it.’

She added that the risk of a bust higher in inflation was a lower risk as the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs had been less than expected.

New York Fed boss John Williams said Friday that he still sees ‘room for a further adjustment’ at the bank’s December 9-10 policy meeting.

Analysts pointed out that the lack of pushback from the Fed on the remarks suggested boss Jerome Powell backed them and was preparing for another cut.

Reduction

Traders now see about a 90 percent chance of a reduction, having been around 35 percent last week.

The prospect of lower borrowing rates pushed Wall Street sharply higher for a second successive day Monday, with the SandP 500 up around 1.6 percent.

The Nasdaq charged 2.7 percent higher thanks to a surge in market heavyweights including Alphabet, Meta and Amazon.

And the gains continued in Asia, which built on a strong Monday.

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta all rallied, though there were pullbacks in Sydney, Singapore and Wellington.

Tech firms

Tech firms have enjoyed a revival after suffering a period of selling in recent weeks, owing to concerns that the AI-led splurge this year may have pushed valuations too far and the huge investments made in the sector could take time to come to fruition.

While there is debate about whether the advance has more legs, observers say the outlook is more nuanced.

‘AI remains one of the most powerful forces reshaping markets, but the tone is changing,’ wrote Saxo Markets’ Charu Chanana.

‘Strong earnings from leading chipmakers. reassure investors that demand is real, yet the sharp swings in market reaction show that enthusiasm now sits alongside questions around sustainability, profitability, and execution.

‘The broad ‘everything goes up’ phase of the AI trade is fading. What replaces it is a more nuanced market: one that rewards fundamentals over narratives.’

US-China relations

She added that investors now had to ‘separate the durable players from those caught up in the momentum’.

Sentiment was also given a lift after Trump praised ‘extremely strong’ US-China relations following a call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

He also said he will visit China in April and that Xi will make a trip to Washington later in 2026.

However, he made no mention of the fact that they had spoken about the ever-sensitive issue of Taiwan. China’s foreign ministry said Trump had told Xi the United States ‘understands how important the Taiwan question is to China’.

The Makabayan bloc is calling for an ‘urgent investigation’ into the allegations made by resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, who accused President Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of orchestrating graft-ridden insertions in the national budget.

On Tuesday, hours after Co uploaded his latest video detailing anomalies in the budget, the bloc -composed of ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co – filed House Resolution No. 515.

The resolution urges the lower chamber to investigate both Co and Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo’s statements that other high-ranking Palace officials received kickbacks from insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In an ambush interview with reporters, Tinio said they were concerned about a seeming attempt to cover up for the president now that Marcos was being implicated in the same anti-corruption crusade he launched last August.

‘The public has the right to hear it straight from everybody who has ever been named in this issue,’ Tinio said. ‘We want to know why all of a sudden there is no appetite to continue investigating now that the allegations are inching closer and closer to the president.’

The resolution also directs the appropriations committee to summon and have the following officials formally testify:

1) Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez

2) Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin

3) Former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman

4) Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan

5) Former Department of Public Works and Highways-Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara

6) Former Education Undersecretary Trygyve Olaivar

7) Former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin

8) Justice Undersecretary Jose Cadiz Jr.

9) John Paul Estrada

10) Mark Tecsay

11) Jocelyn Sereno

Co, the former House appropriations chair from 2022 to 2025, alleged that Marcos – through Romualdez, Pangandaman, Bersamin and Cadiz – ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget, and that the president allegedly got 25 percent as kickbacks from it.

He also alleged that from 2022 to 2025, the total sum of kickbacks delivered to Marcos amounts to P56 billion, which was supposedly ‘different’ from the P56 billion that Marcos and Romualdez got from the P100 billion insertions in the 2025 budget.

On the other hand, at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson, Bernardo said that he had delivered kickbacks to Bersamin and Olaivar after the projects were inserted in the 2025 budget, though he stopped short of implicating the president himself.

The bombshell revelations further rocked the credibility of the Marcos administration which was already struggling with allegations of anomalous, ghost and substandard flood control projects.

The president, Romualdez and the various officials named by Co and Bernardo have since denied the allegations.

For the Makabayan bloc, however, both Co and Bernardo’s revelations ‘establish a pattern of institutionalized corruption at the highest levels of government, involving not only budget insertions, but a sophisticated and long-running system of monthly kickbacks and profit-sharing arrangement that directly implicate the president and his closest political allies.’

They noted that almost all the officials implicated by Co and Bernardo – Pangandaman, Bersamin and Olaivar – have since stepped down from their posts or dismissed ‘under circumstances that suggest an intention to shield them, and possibly the president, from further public scrutiny and from unnecessary investigation.’

Given these grave allegations, the bloc said, Congress must fulfill its constitutional duty to investigate these allegations, even if it means ‘reaching the highest levels of power.’

‘All officials involved in corruption, from past to present administrations, from the small fry to especially the big fry, must be held accountable,’ they said.

The recent issue of diploma mill schools in teacher education has raised alarm in the Second Congressional Commission on Education. This has led to the creation of a national database listing the higher education institutions with government-permitted or government-recognized teacher education programs.

Such a phenomenon is not new in the education sector. Even in basic education and technical-vocational education, diploma mills exist.

In basic education, many learners and their parents, particularly those at the elementary level, have difficulties transferring to other schools because their schools are not recognized by the Department of Education. This has caused DepEd, under then Secretary Armin Luistro, to institute the learner reference number commonly known as LRN as a remedy. Meanwhile, learners were advised to take the placement test administered by the DepEd Bureau of Education Assessment to validate their prior learning experiences from their unaccredited schools.

It is for this reason that the regional offices of DepEd, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Commission on Higher Education, took action in disseminating the list of government-recognized institutions within their respective localities. After all, it is within the powers and duties of the said government agencies to grant or revoke recognition and permits.

According to the 1987 Constitution, it is the duty of the State not only to recognize the complementary role of public and private education but also to set reasonable regulations in the education sector and protect education stakeholders.

Getting the right pieces for an expansion franchise was key for coach Jerry Yee in fast-tracking the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles’ rise from cellar dwellers to title contenders in the PVL Reinforced Conference.

From a club that didn’t win a single game in their debut in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, Yee brought his champion players from College of Saint Benilde, led by ace setter Clo Mondoñedo to bolster the squad. They also signed Jovelyn Gonzaga and drafted Thea Gagate as their first overall pick in the inaugural draft.

This season, the Thunderbelles signed libero Alyssa Eroa and hitter Fiola Ceballos for added veteran presence and drafted AC Miner at No.5 and got steals in the next rounds in Mycah Go and Riza Nogales.

ZUS Coffee is now a win away from reaching a dream final after booking the franchise’s first-ever semifinal appearance with a 25-14, 25-20, 25-18 sweep of Capital1 on Monday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

‘It’s really tough when you don’t have all the pieces you need. This year, we added more players, and we even have two rookies in the first six-that’s a huge help. We’re happy with how things turned out,’ said Yee in Filipino.

Yee, who steered his team to a franchise-best 7-1 record in the elimination round, was very fortunate to pick up the right pieces to build this team.

‘When you get the right pieces, when you draft the players you really need, it makes a big difference. It’s not about picking players just for the sake of it and then not being able to use them. That actually makes things harder. We’re lucky we got the players who filled the gaps in our roster,’ he said.

Mondoñedo, who emerged as a frontrunner in the Best Setter race, shared the same sentiment.

‘I’m super proud, especially since this is our first time reaching this stage. You can really see that everyone wanted to make the semifinals. I’m just happy and proud of the progress our team has made,’ Mondoñedo said.

ZUS Coffee eyes its first-ever finals appearance against PLDT on Thursday at the Big Dome.

‘We just have to follow the system and the coaches’ instructions. As long as we follow, things will flow,’ said Mondoñedo.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is hoisted over 11 areas in Luzon and Visayas as Tropical Depression Verbana approaches Cuyo Islands on Tuesday afternoon before its expected landfall over the northern Palawan, according to the state weather bureau.

In its 2 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Verbena was last spotted over the coastal waters of Magsaysay, Palawan as of 1 p.m.

Pagasa noted that Verbena ‘will move northwestward over Sulu Sea, pass near or over Cuyo Islands this afternoon before making a landfall over the northern portion of Palawan tonight.’

Pagasa raised TCWS No. 1 over the following areas, with wind speeds ranging from 39 to 61 kilometers per hour (kph), which will potentially bring ‘minimal to minor threat to life and property:’

Luzon

Occidental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro

Romblon

Northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands

Mainland Masbate (Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, Masbate City, Mbo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno)

Visayas

Antique

Aklan

Capiz

Iloilo

Guimaras

Western portion of Negros Occidental (Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Hinigaran, Pontevedra, La Carlota City, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Valladolid, San Enrique, Bago City, Pulupandan, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Ilog, Kabankalan City, Cauayan, Sipalay City, Candoni, Hinoba-An)

Aside from this, a gale warning was up over the seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Meanwhile, Verbana is carrying a maximum wind speed of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 70 kph while it is moving westward at 35 kph.

Pagasa maintained that Verbena may intensify into a tropical storm near the northern portion of Palawan within the next 12 hours.

It added that further intensification is ‘likely’ once it reaches the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Thai mogul Nawat Itsaragrisil insisted that he had nothing to do with the results of the Miss Universe 2025 pageant that crowned Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch at the end of the coronation show last Nov. 21 in Thailand.

Nawat served as the hosting committee chair of the 74th edition in pageant, being the franchise owner of the Miss Universe Thailand, and the Miss Universe Organization’s (MUO) VP for Asiana.

In an interview during the homecoming media con for newly-crowned Miss Grand International (MGI) 2025, Nawat said that despite being the chief promoter of the pageant, he was not involved in determining the results of the pageant.

‘On our part, I [was part of the committee where we were] the host country for Miss Universe. I [did] a lot of things since Day One for 20 days. But the result is only from the Miss Universe Organization. I cannot touch it. I cannot do anything. I never know about the result before, that’s why I cannot say anything,’ Nawat said.

Despite ‘accepting’ Bosch’s win, he said fans have the right to voice out their opinion on whether they accept the Mexican beauty queen’s victory or not.

‘But I accept the result because it means that it’s already finished. But by the way, [for] pageant fans, if you agree or not agree, you have your voice. You have your own opinion. I always accept every opinion. we still have more than 300 days to approve [or] prove if it’s true or not,’ he said, apparently referring to allegations of rigging in the results of the pageant.

WHAT DOES NAWAT ITSARAGRISIL HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE RESULTS OF MISS UNIVERSE? ??WATCH: Miss Universe VP for Asiana Nawat Itsaragrisil said he ‘doesn’t know’ anything about the results, although he hoped that Fatima Bosch will be able to prove herself in her reign. |. pic.twitter.com/Ej08G35qUB

– Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) November 24, 2025

The allegations stemmed from the claim of French-Lebanese musician Omar Harfouch, who resigned after being told by MUO president Raul Rocha to vote in favor of Bosch. Rocha has denied the allegations.

Bosch has to prove herself worthy

The Thai businessman also pointed out that it is up to Bosch prove if she is indeed worthy to wear the Miss Universe crown, and how she’ll carry herself throughout her reign.

‘We have to think about how she’ll carry the crown. For MGI, the most important thing is when she wore the crown on her head, it doesn’t mean success. The success is during the time of your reign. Three-hundred sixty-five days later, she will have room to prove who she is and how much worthy she is,’ he said.

‘If you don’t agree with the result, we respect you. You have your voice. But for my side, I don’t have any idea. I hope she will continue with her success. At this moment, let her prove herself,’ he continued.

Before the coronation event, Nawat and Bosch made headlines after he publicly called out the latter at a sashing ceremony for allegedly failing to fulfill requirements with sponsors. The Mexican beauty queen then called him out for disrespecting her and allegedly calling her ‘dumb’ in front of other delegates, before walking out of the conference hall, followed by the then reigning Miss Universe Victoria Theilvig and other sympathetic candidates.

Nawat eventually apologized for the incident, although he clarified that he didn’t accuse Bosch of being ‘dumb,’ countering her claim.