Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

With a gritty final round built around Chris Remata’s one-under-par 71 on Friday, Team Philippines nipped regional force Thailand by two strokes and won the prestigious Putra Cup golf championship for the second straight time at Luisita here.

Shinichi Suzuki, the Filipino Japanese who is the only remnant of the victorious 2023 team, and Perry Bucay matched par 72s for a closing four-under-par 218 and 860 overall as the Filipinos posted a two-shot win in what is regarded as the Southeast Asian region’s team championship, where Indonesia checked in third, another shot behind the Thais.

Rolando Bregente submitted a 74 and didn’t count on the final day for the Filipinos, but it was still worth the silver in individual play.

‘I’m really proud of the boys,’ head coach Ramon Brobio told Inquirer Golf. ‘We just prepared very well for this and the kids really fought hard. So I am very, very proud.’

Indonesia’s Randy Bintang returned a 72 and won the individual gold medal by six shots over Bregente with a 278 tally. Remata and Suzuki wound up with identical 291 totals to finish tied for seventh in individual play.

The Philippine victory was made possible by a blazing 213 opening round anchored on Bregente’s 70, as Thailand was forced to play catch-up after submitting a 222 first round effort that was also eight shots behind Indonesia.

Indonesia finished third, seven shots behind the Filipinos

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake jolted Cebu on Saturday afternoon, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In its latest update, the Phivolcs said the tremor, which was tectonic of origin, occurred at 3:38 p.m.

Its epicenter was spotted 9 kilometers northwest of the City of Bogo, Cebu, with a depth of 10 kilometers.

Instrumental Intensities were recorded in the following areas:

Intensity III – Villaba and Isabel, Leyte

Intensity I – Leyte and Carigara, Leyte; Kawayan, Biliran; Talibon, Bohol

No aftershocks nor damage to properties are expected from the tremor.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended the license of a driver who nearly hit a child being held by a woman while crossing a pedestrian lane in Novaliches, Quezon City.

In a statement on Friday, the LTO said the driver, who was driving a Geely GX3 on Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, had his license suspended for 90 days.

The LTO cited a viral video showing that the driver avoided hitting the child and the woman after his vehicle sped forward and abruptly stopped on the pedestrian lane.

Aside from the suspension of his driver’s license, the driver received a show-cause order, directing him to attend a hearing on November 18, at the Intelligence and Investigation Division of the LTO Central Office in East Avenue, Quezon City.

The LTO directed the driver to explain ‘why his license should not be suspended or revoked due to traffic violations, such as Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Right of Way, [and] Signals on Starting and Stopping or Turning.’

The agency also placed the vehicle on alarm status due to the incident.

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines still face challenges in scaling access to finance, expanding regional reach and deepening capital market integration. This is limiting the crucial sector’s ability to unlock its full economic potential, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said.

In its ‘Asia Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Monitor 2025’ report, the ADB said the Philippines nevertheless has a robust legal and institutional framework. This will support MSME growth and competitiveness through a series of regulatory policies.

Even so, the Manila-based lender flagged several critical constraints that continue to impede the MSME development. The ADB did so particularly amid rising global uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.

A primary challenge, the ADB said, is the lack of acceptable collateral to access credit. This, along with high credit risk perceptions and operational costs, makes MSME lending high-risk and low-return for financial institutions.

Data showed that MSME credit accounted for only 3.9 percent of total bank loans in 2024. It represented only 2.1 percent of gross domestic product.

Regional data showed that MSME lending in the Philippines remains highly centralized. Of national total, 83.8 percent of loans is concentrated in Metro Manila, reflecting ongoing geographic disparities in credit access.

‘Addressing structural challenges-such as risk-based lending, collateral requirements, and regional disparities-will be critical to unlocking the full potential of MSMEs in driving inclusive economic growth,’ the ADB said.

Less trading at the bourse

Meanwhile, the SME board under the Philippine Stock Exchange saw market capitalization decline slightly to P25 billion in 2024. Trading was reduced despite the addition of one new initial public offering raising the total to 11 listed companies.

This, the ADB said, suggests lower investor interest and liquidity. This reinforces the observation that the local capital market remains relatively underused as an MSME financing venue.

‘The overall scale and activity of the SME Board remain limited,’ the bank said.

‘This underscores the need for sustained efforts to promote capital market literacy, streamline listing requirements, and strengthen investor confidence to view the capital market as a viable alternative MSME financing source,’ it added.

Looking ahead, the ADB noted that policy and institutional support continue to evolve. Stronger efforts on digitalization, financial inclusion and innovation are seen boosting the growth of MSMEs.

‘Initiatives such as the Standard Business Loan Application Form, PalengQR PH Plus and expanded guarantee programs are part of a growing ecosystem to improve MSME resilience and competitiveness,’ the ADB said. INQ

Social Weather Stations fielded a special opinion poll on the topic of corruption in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (‘Mega Manila’ for short) last Oct. 19 to 22, on its own account. This survey is statistically representative of adults in those areas; it was geographically limited to cover the largest contiguous area that SWS could afford from its internal funds.

Last week was the first public presentation of the survey findings, at an event co-organized with the National Research Council of the Philippines, Social Sciences Division, held both face-to-face and via Zoom (see ‘SWS October Mega Manila survey on corruption presented at Kapihan sa SWS,’ www.sws.org.ph, 11/13/25, for the slides).

The Mega Manila survey findings are generally dire: 77 percent say corruption in government is more widespread now than three years ago; this 77 percent breaks down as NCR 80, Bulacan 71, Cavite 76, Laguna 74, and Rizal 74.

*Eighty-three percent of Mega Manila see corruption at the national level of government, while 38, 35, and 25 percent see it at the provincial, city/town, and barangay levels, respectively.

*Seventy-five percent say it is government officials who initiate the bribes, rather than the bribers offering them; 66 percent say it is improper to give any money or gift to speed up transactions with the government.

*Percentages of opinion on the steps taken by the current administration to eradicate corruption: very effective 12, somewhat effective 15, hardly effective 33, not at all effective 27, don’t know enough about them 13.

*Government institutions rated for sincerity in fighting corruption, starting from the worst (percentage sincere minus percentage insincere): Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) -43, Bureau of Customs -15, the House of Representatives -8, the Senate -6, Department of Budget and Management -4, Office of the President +4, Commission on Elections +4; all others are double-digit positive.

*Among those personally aware of a corrupt act, 49 percent experienced it in the last 12 months, but 96 percent did not report it, the main excuse being that nothing would happen anyway.

*Twenty-four percent were aware of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure even before being interviewed; their opinion is split as to whether the ICI will do a fair investigation of flood control projects.

*Seventy-four percent want corrupt officials to suffer harsher penalties.

*Seventy-two percent have followed news about graft and corruption in government flood control projects. The percentages following the news consist of: very closely 22, somewhat closely 31, just a little 19, not at all 14, and just heard about it now 14.

Among those following such news, the net believability rates (percent believable minus percent unbelievable) of the accusations are very high, for all those implicated: Rep. Zaldy Co +69, Speaker Martin Romualdez +60, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap +59, former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy +59, Commission on Audit commissioner Mario Lipana +59, former Sen. Bong Revilla +53, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada +50, Sen. Chiz Escudero +49, Sen. Joel Villanueva +43, and former Sen. Nancy Binay +40.

The net believability rates are likewise very high for the testimonies of the witnesses: spouses Pacifica Discaya and Sarah Discaya +71, engineer Henry Alcantara +70, engineer Brice Hernandez +59, contractor Sally Santos +59, former security aide Orly Guteza +58, and former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo +51.

Net agreements (percent agree minus percent disagree) about the Discaya spouses are: (a) they should NOT be made state witnesses because they should not be exempted from punishment, +42; (b) before they can become state witnesses they should first return the money they allegedly got, +78; and (c) because their government contracts allegedly reached 78 billion pesos, they are truly in a position to reveal information about corrupt government officials, +71.

Throwing survey numbers at the corrupt doesn’t solve corruption, any more than making hunger numbers feeds the hungry. The numbers are not directed at public officials in particular. They are simply for those who care.

Fr. Ewald Dinter, SVD, 88, died at 9:07 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at UST Hospital in Manila, according to a social media post by Fr. Anthony Ibarra Banawa Fabella, SVD.

A friend and spiritual daughter of Dinter, Carole Diamante, said he had been brought to UST Hospital on Oct. 17, a day after his birthday.

‘This morning, Fr. Mike Yasis, SVD, arrived to give him the sacrament of anointing. According to the doctor, Amang (Fr. Dinter) is still fighting. But the doctor prepared us to say our goodbyes,’ she said.

The Societas Verbi Divini (SVD) – Philippines said Dinter was born Oct. 16, 1937, in Steinwitz, Wroclaw, Germany. He made his religious vows in 1961 and was ordained in 1965.

His first mission assignment was at the St. Raphael Mission House in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. After an initial orientation to pastoral work in the mission parishes of Bongabong and Mansalay and the Mangyan missions for three years, he was assigned to formation work at the newly established St. Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay as rector, spiritual director and procurator.

The seminary, under the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan, trains diocesan priests for Mindoro. He served in formation work from 1969 to 1976.

Dinter returned to Mindoro for parish work and the Mangyan missions at the Panaytayan Mangyan Settlement.

In 1979, he was elected provincial superior. In 1982, when the Philippine SVD was divided into three provinces, he continued as provincial superior of the Central Province. In 1985, he had a short stint as rector of Christ the King Seminary while also serving as a provincial councilor.

Beginning in 1986, his advocacy for the Mangyans led to a lengthy stay in the Mangyan missions. While still a provincial councilor, he chose to remain at the Panaytayan Mangyan missions, eventually establishing the Mangyan Education Center and serving as its director. He was appointed episcopal vicar for the Mangyan missions.

The Mangyan Mission Secretariat was later established in Calero, Calapan City, and he became known simply as the Mangyan Missionary.

While working with the Mangyans, he was appointed executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous People (ECIP) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. He also served as vicar forane at the Risen Christ Vicariate Forane.

Fabella said Dinter was at Villa Cristo Rey, the SVD retirement house at the Christ the King Seminary compound in Quezon City, when he became ill. He was semi-retired at St. Raphael Mission House before being brought to Villa Cristo Rey and later confined at UST Hospital.

On Nov. 12, while hospitalized, the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro recognized him as one of its awardees for his contributions to the province during its 75th founding anniversary.

Mindoro priest Fr. Edwin Gariguez paid tribute to Dinter, calling him ‘a missionary whose life was marked by steadfast service, solidarity, and love for the marginalized.’

Gariguez said Dinter’s ‘gentle way of entering Mangyan communities, not to dominate, but to listen, to learn, and to walk with,’ became for him ‘a shining model of what true missionary discipleship means.’

He added that in the schools Dinter helped build and in the ‘young Mangyan professionals who emerged with dignity and pride,’ the late priest left behind ‘a legacy that is unmistakably missionary in spirit

A lawmaker who authored one of eight pending anti-political dynasty bills in the House said he expected the measures to advance at the committee level by December or January, as lawmakers and watchdogs challenged Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III to follow through on his pledge to prioritize the long-delayed reform.

On Friday, Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, author of House Bill No. 381, said the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms headed by Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong could tackle all eight bills including Flores’ measure in the panel’s next meeting and later form a technical working group (TWG) to consolidate the measures.He added that the process might ‘not take long because the eight bills have many common and similar provisions,’ particularly on the limitations set for a political dynasty.

Most of the bills seek to define political dynasties up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.

‘Pragmatic prohibition’

This is in contrast to the Makabayan bloc’s HB 209 and 4784, which seeks to prohibit relatives within the fourth civil degree from simultaneously holding or running for elective office.

The Akbayan bloc composed of Reps. Perci Cendaña, Chel Diokno, Dadah Kiram Ismula and Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao also recently filed its own version-also seeking a ban up to the fourth degree-a day after Dy told his colleagues to push for an anti-dynasty measure to help restore trust in government.

Flores said limiting dynasties up to the second degree sets the most ‘pragmatic prohibition scenarios.’

He expressed hope that his bill as well as that of Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima’s House Bill No. 2131 would ‘serve as the working documents for the consolidation process.’

‘I hope the TWG will be able to report out the substitute bill and that the committee will approve it before we go on [a] year-end break at the earliest or by January when we return,’ he added.

‘No room for loopholes’

Dy’s support for the passage of an anti-dynasty law has placed pressure on Congress where both chambers have long been dominated by entrenched political families.

The clamor has intensified as the Marcos administration continues to grapple with the fallout from a flood control scandal that has implicated several House members, including the President’s cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

A report by the United Nations Development Programme found that political families dominate 72 out of 77 provinces or 94 percent, with an average of 2.31 political clans per province.

‘We remain deeply skeptical. History has shown us that political dynasties themselves have repeatedly blocked genuine reform,’ the Makabayan bloc composed of ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co said in a statement.

‘Besides, the Marcos and Duterte dynasties are some of the worst iterations of a political dynasty in the Philippines and they too will become stumbling blocks to these bills,’ they warned.

Nevertheless, the bloc maintained that its measures were the most comprehensive and ‘leave no room for loopholes,’ as it challenged Dy as well as their colleagues in the House to support their version instead of ‘watered-down versions designed to preserve the status quo.’

Magnolia coach LA Tenorio joked that the offseason pickup of Raffy Verano was aimed at being a carbon copy of Rain or Shine.

‘I want all my players to be good-looking like Rain or Shine,’ said Tenorio, drawing plenty of laughter inside the press room following the Hotshots’ 90-75 victory over the Blackwater Bossing.

But in all seriousness, Verano is more than just a pretty boy, as his 12 points plus contributions on the defensive end helped Magnolia pull away and complete the comeback against the struggling Blackwater side.

It was the best performance of the conference for Verano, who, after being let go by his former team Phoenix, was signed by Magnolia shortly before the start of the season-opening Philippine Cup.

For Verano, he was only heeding Tenorio’s emphasis on stepping up when needed.

‘Like Coach LA said, it’s next man up, and I come with whatever minutes I have, defensively,’ said Verano. ‘I think that’s where I find my groove. And like what Coach LA says, what’s nice about this team is everyone can score, but he usually harps on defense.

Magnolia targets solo third in all-time PBA victories

‘So luckily, I’m the one that got my opportunities and scored today,’ he added while being thankful for being given a shot by Tenorio when ‘I just worked my butt off while training with them.’

Tenorio was quick to praise Verano and the rest of the team for having the right attitude as a collective unit, something that also eases the challenges of being a first-time coach.

‘It’s hard for them to trust a young coach, and that’s the natural tendency. But all of my players have a great attitude, not as a player but as a person. And that’s what I like about this team,’ Tenorio said.

CEBU CITY-JR Quiñahan has been making the rounds on social media lately, but this time it had nothing to do with basketball.

The former PBA player was among many Cebuanos who felt the full force of Typhoon Tino a few days ago, and his resilience during the ordeal and active participation during recovery efforts earned praise from netizens.

So when he showed up at Cebu Coliseum on Saturday to watch Meralco’s East Asia Super League game against the Macau Black Bears, he was greeted with thunderous appreciation.

WATCH: JR Quiñahan is in attendance for the #EASL game between Meralco and Macau.

Quiñahan, who last played in the PBA two years ago, stopped for photos and selfies as fans approached him the moment he entered the historic Cebu sporting venue.

Not too long ago, his eatery, Adobohan ni Quiñahan-House of Paka, organized a relief drive in Talisay to help feed those hit hard by Tino.

His presence at the EASL game also carried added meaning with all ticket proceeds from the Bolts-Black Bears matchup will be donated to Cebuanos as disaster aid following the recent earthquake and typhoon.

The Supreme Court has designated several regional trial courts (RTCs) to hear corruption-related cases involving the government’s infrastructure projects plagued by anomalies.

In a statement on Saturday, the high court announced that the Office of the Chief Justice has approved the recommendation of Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta to designate specific RTC judges to handle the cases.

The court explained that jurisdiction over graft cases involving public officers holding positions lower than Salary Grade 27 will, meanwhile, be assigned to the proper RTC, Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, or Municipal Circuit Trial Court in line with Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, or the Judiciary Reorganization Act.

‘These special courts will exclusively hear and decide corruption-related cases arising from infrastructure projects,’ read the statement from the Office of the Spokesperson of the Supreme Court.

In areas without designated RTCs, the cases shall be referred to the nearest judicial region with special courts.

Should there be any appeals from the decisions of the designated RTCs, they will be heard by the main anti-graft court, the Sandiganbayan.

The high court did not disclose how many RTCs were designated as special courts but explained that the directive was in accordance with Republic Act No. 10660, or the law that expands the jurisdiction of RTCs to include graft-related cases.

The law states that the RTC has ‘exclusive original jurisdiction’ when the graft case does not involve damage to the government or any bribery, or when it involves damage to the government or bribery from transactions not exceeding P1 million.

Judges of the RTCs designated as special courts will also undergo training from the Philippine Judicial Academy, including lectures to be led by associate justices of the Sandiganbayan.

The training will cover ‘substantive and procedural laws,’ according to the Supreme Court, including RA 7080, or the anti-plunder law; RA 3019, or the anti-graft law; rules on bail in plunder cases; evidentiary rules in anti-graft cases; the rule on cyber warrants; rules on forensic evidence; among others.