Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian flagged on Monday the doubling of the appropriation for farm-to-market roads (FMRs) from P16 billion in the executive-approved National Expenditure Program to P32.6 billion in the proposed 2026 general appropriations bill.

Gatchalian questioned the 104-percent increase in FMR allocation during a Senate subpanel on finance hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

‘My point is that since we are cleaning the budget of the DPWH, it seems like the transfer of some of its funds to the DA [Department of Agriculture] can become an issue,’ the chair of the Senate finance committee said.

At a hearing early this month on the proposed budget of the DA, it was found out that more than P10 billion worth of FMRs in the 2023 and 2024 national budgets were ‘extremely overpriced.’

Gatchalian asked Christy Polido, director of the DA’s bureau of agricultural and fisheries engineering, if the P16-billion increase in the 2026 budget is part of the FMR Network Plan (FMRNP), a government strategy to improve rural infrastructure by creating and upgrading roads that connect agricultural areas to markets.

‘Some are included; some are yet to be validated,’ she said.

‘This additional P16 billion, is this included in your network plan or not?’ Gatchalian asked again.

Polido said that out of the P32 billion in total FMR appropriation, they have already validated around P24 billion.

Gatchalian pointed out that the remaining P8 billion will be the dilemma of the DPWH, noting that it cannot be implemented even if the funding is approved.

‘Correct, sir. The DPWH still has to get clearance from the DA . it cannot implement those projects unless cleared by the DA,’ Polido pointed out.

Gatchalian noted that it will be a waste if the P8 billion is approved and the projects later fail to make it to the FMRNP.

Verification

In the same hearing, Gatchalian gave the DPWH until Friday this week to complete the verification of 148 line items in its proposed budget for 2026 to make sure that these are not repeating line items from the previous year’s list.

According to Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, they were able to check 798 out of the 946 projects earlier flagged as items carried from the 2025 budget.

‘There were a total of 946 projects that were identified, amounting to P14.455 billion. We are here to report to the committee that as of yesterday, we were able to provide validation and justification of 798 out of the 946 projects, roughly amounting to P11.656 billion out of the P14.455 billion,’ Dizon said.

Still on the DPWH budget, some lawmakers are also reporting either ‘double entries’ or unknown projects in their own districts in the proposed 2026 budget approved in the House.

‘Upon review, our office identified several project entries that appear to be duplicates due to variations in naming or descriptions,’ Batangas Rep. King Collantes said in a letter to Gatchalian dated Oct. 22.

Collantes listed as duplicated the road rehabilitation in Barangay Sta. Maria, Sto. Tomas City; the completion of a multipurpose building in Barangay Don Juan, Cuenca; and a similar project in Barangay San Jose, Sto. Tomas City, each costing P5 million.

Gatchalian said this only showed that even congressmen on the ground are not aware of these duplicate projects.

Gabbi Garcia shared behind-the-scenes photos from the international film ‘Prisoner of War,’ where she stars alongside English actor and martial artist Scott Adkins.

The film, which premiered at the Beverly Hills Film Festival last April, continues to gain attention as more audiences around the world get to see it. Garcia plays the role of Theresa, a nurse during World War II.

‘It has been such an honor and a true thrill to work on this project alongside [Scott Adkins],’ the Filipina actress wrote in her Instagram post. The carousel of photos showed Garcia’s character aiding the wounded Adkins.

‘Prisoner of War’ is an action-drama directed by Louis Mandylor, with a story co-written by Adkins. The film follows a British officer who becomes a prisoner during the Japanese occupation and is forced to fight for survival inside a war camp.

Garcia’s participation in the film was confirmed last August after she posted a photo on Instagram with Adkins taken during their filming.

Garcia is known for her performances in the 2016 ‘Encantadia,’ ‘Unbreak My Heart,’ and ‘Slay.’ She recently marked her 11th year in showbiz.

Adkins, meanwhile, best known for his roles in ‘Undisputed,’ ‘Ip Man 4: The Finale,’ and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4,’ among others.

Expectations of unfavorable weather conditions prompted Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to temper its energy sales forecast this year despite delivering a strong financial performance in the nine-month period.

Meralco senior vice president and chief revenue officer Ferdinand Geluz said the listed power giant now expected ‘flattish to negative 0.4 percent to 0.8 percent’ energy sales by the end of this year.

This marked a downgrade from its earlier forecast of a modest 1 to 2 percent energy sales growth.

Weather patterns

‘We were hoping for a normalization of weather patterns, but we see worsening weather patterns. In fact, in the third quarter alone, we had 10 more suspension of classes and even government offices,’ Geluz said during Meralco’s financial briefing on Monday.

Geluz said heavy rains and flooding ‘impeded the mobility’ of both residential and commercial customers.

‘By way of temperature, the industrial segment is more resilient because normally, their environment is more controlled. Unlike commercial (segment), the bulk of the power requirements is really on cooling,’ he said.

‘If the weather is colder and the customer mobility is impeded, the requirement for cooling power decreases. The same goes for residential customers,’ he added.

Power generation

Meralco, the listed utility giant led by tycoon Manuel Pangilinan, said its consolidated reported net income had climbed 9 percent to P36.82 billion as of end-September. Consolidated core net income settled at P40 billion, up 14 percent.

The core income of its distribution utility business contributed P21.9 billion to earnings, equivalent to 37 percent of the total.

The contribution of power generation business reached P14.7 billion, while the retail electricity supply and nonelectric businesses brought in a combined P3.4 billion.

During the period, consolidated revenues stood at P371.77 billion, up 5 percent.

Meralco chief finance officer Betty Siy-Yap said the top line had been driven by higher pass-through generation and transmission charges, improved revenues of power generation due to its participation in the reserve market and higher sales volume from retail electricity.

Energy sales in the January to September period slightly increased to 50,880 gigawatt-hours from 50,641 GWh.

Energy sales

The distribution utility business accounted for 81.3 percent or 41,358 GWh of overall volume.

On the other hand, consolidated energy sales stood at 40,719 GWh, relatively unchanged from 40,872 GWh, due to the extended period of inclement weather affecting the electricity demand in residential and commercial segments.

‘Based on the growth of our power generation business and the steady performance of our core distribution business in the past nine months, we stay positive that we will achieve our full-year core profit guidance of P50 billion,’ Pangilinan said.

Siy-Yap said the listed firm was counting on the earnings contributions of Meralco subsidiaries to attain the 2025 profit target. INQ

An eight-year-old girl died after being accidentally struck by a falling coconut tree in Sitio Manipis, Barangay Bagaba-o, Leyte, Leyte, on Monday afternoon.

The victim, identified as MJP, a Grade 3 pupil and resident of the barangay, was reportedly on her way to buy fish when the coconut tree-being cut by two men-suddenly fell and hit her.

The men, identified only as ‘Pino,’ 42, married, a chief tanod, and ‘Pabs,’ 38, married, a farmer, both residents of Barangay Mataloto, were cutting the tree when the accident occurred.

According to police, they received a call around 1:30 p.m. from a police auxiliary of Barangay Mataloto, reporting the incident. Responding officers immediately proceeded to the scene and found the child lying unconscious on the ground.

With the assistance of the police, the victim’s family rushed her to the Leyte Rural Health Unit, but she was declared dead on arrival at around 3:45 p.m. by the attending physician.

Following the incident, the two men voluntarily surrendered to authorities and turned over the chainsaw used in cutting the tree. They are now under the custody of the Leyte Municipal Police Station for proper disposition and investigation

Raymart Santiago denied the abuse allegations made against him by his estranged mother-in-law, Inday Barretto, stressing how he supposedly even ‘risked his own life’ to protect his ex-wife Claudine Barretto.

The Barretto matriarch, when interviewed earlier by entertainment insider Ogie Diaz, detailed the alleged physical and sexual abuse that Claudine had suffered at the hands of Santiago during their marriage.

Santiago responded to these accusations through a statement released on his Instagram Stories on Monday, Oct. 27, saying he had pondered for days whether he would speak up on the matter.

The actor also admitted that while he opted to stay silent for the last 13 years, it has been hard for him as his name is being ‘tainted with lies.’

‘Hindi kaila sa akin ang paninira at nakasusuklam na akusasyon ni Mommy Inday, ang taong nirespeto, minahal at tinuring kong pangalawang ina,’ he said.

(I am aware of the slander and the disgusting accusations of Mommy Inday, the person I respected, loved, and considered my second mother.)

‘Pero nakagugulat, dahil yung tao na dapat na higit na nakakikilala sa kanyang anak, ang taong siya mismong walang humpay sa paghingi ng paumanhin sa akin nuong mga nagdaang panahon ay siya ngayong nagbibitaw ng mga kasinungalingan,’ he continued.

(But it’s surprising, because the person who should know her daughter best, the person who was constantly apologizing to me in the past, is now the one who is spreading lies.)

Santiago vehemently dismissed Inday’s claims and noted that he even kept his promise to her and her late husband Miguel Barretto.

‘Hindi man naging perpekto ang aming pagsasama, malinaw sa aking konsensya na kailanman ay hindi ko nagawa o magagawa ang mga paratang nila,’ he stated. ‘Tinupad ko ang pangako ko sa kanila ni Daddy Pikey. Kahit na sarili ko ay tinaya ko para maprotektahan lang ang anak nila.’

(Even though our marriage wasn’t perfect, it’s clear in my conscience that I never did or will do what they accuse me of. I kept my promise to her and Daddy Pikey. I even risked my life just to protect their child.)

‘Higit sa lahat, mahal na mahal ko ang aking mga anak at binigay ko ang higit pa sa nararapat,’ he added.

(And above all, I love my children very much and I gave them more than enough.)

The actor then appealed to the public to refrain from spreading hurtful remarks on the matter for the sake of his children with Claudine.

‘Sa bandang huli, mas pipiliin ko pa rin ang respeto at na ipaubaya sa panahon na siyang humusga at maghayag ng katotohan,’ he concluded.

(In the end, I would still choose respect and let time be the judge and reveal the truth.)

After being ignored the first time, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has called in once again, through a subpoena order, former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co as it continues to look into the massive corruption in government infrastructure projects.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said that the fact-finding body has issued a new subpoena dated Oct. 20 to Co’s residential addresses in Pasig City and Bicol region.

Hosaka said the former lawmaker is being summoned to appear before the commission on Nov. 11 and 12 at 9 a.m. Other details, however, on the new subpoena have yet to be released by the ICI.

This followed the first ICI directive to appear sent to the former lawmaker on Oct. 8 to testify on his alleged role as chair of the appropriations panel in the lower house in the 19th Congress and as a founder of a construction firm linked to the flagged irregular flood mitigation projects. But this, however, was shunned as Co’s whereabouts remain unknown.

In the initial subpoena, among the documents that Co needs to hand over to the ICI are reports, contracts and records related to projects, proposals, feasibility studies and master plans for public flood control projects ‘that you or the corporation where you or your family have beneficial interest.’

These include financial records, such as vouchers, invoices, official receipts, income tax return; as well as Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including articles of incorporation, business registration, general information sheet and financial statements.

The former chief of the Northern Police District – Special Operations Unit (NPD – SOU) may be dismissed from service for allegedly taking a detainee out of his cell without authorization, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

The former NPD SOU chief was arrested late Saturday afternoon and relieved of his post as the regional police began investigating the incident for possible administrative charges, the NCRPO earlier confirmed.

‘Since it’s possible he will be charged with grave misconduct, he may be dismissed because of what he did, letting out a detainee,’ NCRPO public information chief Maj. Hazel Asilo said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Tuesday.

The Inquirer opted not to name the ex-NPD SOU chief until it is able to reach him for comment.

For its part, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) said it will conduct its own investigation if the Philippine National Police (PNP) does not pursue a case against the ex-NPD SOU chief.

‘We will investigate that. Of course, that’s not allowed. A detainee should be in a detention facility, not let out, not made into an asset, not used in any way whatsoever,’ Napolcom Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan said, speaking in Filipino, during a press briefing at their office in Quezon City on Tuesday.

‘If the PNP has not filed cases against that policeman, we are ordering Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service Director Edman Pares: investigate it if the PNP won’t file a case. We will file a case against this man,’ he added.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is joining the collective action in monitoring the half-a-trillion flood control projects by enhancing its capacity as an oversight agency in keeping a tight watch on the projects.

The DENR on Tuesday said that it will continue its work in monitoring the projects as a member agency of the inter-agency subcommittee on water resources under the umbrella of the infrastructure committee headed by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (formerly National Economic and Development Authority).

This was after the Senate finance committee directed the DENR to lay down all of its reports in their monitoring of the flood control projects, most of which had been tagged as dubious.

DENR Undersecretary Carlos David told the Senate in a hearing on Monday its initial findings, a copy of which the agency has yet to provide to reporters.

Initial findings on the flood control projects will undergo ‘further validation’ by other agencies, especially by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Without disclosing any further details, the DENR said Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon had clarified to them that the list of flood control projects submitted by his agency ‘includes slope protection for major road projects’ that are not related to the former.

‘For instance, the Laguna lakeshore slope protection in Taguig City are part of the road projects and are not flood control projects,’ the DENR said in a statement.

Nevertheless, the agency said it will continue its work with the interagency subcommittee in improving its monitoring system by coming up with a ‘more integrated approach to flood and water resource development prior to the implementation of projects.’

‘The DENR’s monitoring is part of the policy and coordination functions of the subcommittee, and applies to water projects of other agencies including the NIA (National Irrigation Administration) and DENR,’ it added.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) diverted at least P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 budget for infrastructure projects, including P30 billion for flood control works, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson disclosed on Tuesday.

‘In 2024 alone, the DPWH diverted P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations for infrastructure projects, including P30 billion for flood control projects. This means DPWH officials have become comfortable with funding such projects even if this means violating the government’s master plan,’ Lacson said in an interview with radio dzBB.

‘These appropriations were spread throughout several districts. The public fund was abused because of the collusion between some lawmakers and DPWH officials, to the point that lawmakers gave the DPWH bigger funds than the education sector – and in 2025, they continued this practice until it exploded in our faces,’ he added.

Lacson said this reflects how DPWH officials have grown complacent in disregarding the government’s master plan for infrastructure projects.

Lacson stressed that the DPWH must end its practice of ‘playing’ with public funds, particularly the substitution of projects, which he said amounts to technical malversation.

‘When we pass the budget bill, everything is itemized. If you make changes there, that is already technical malversation even if you have not stolen anything yet. Appropriations for a particular item must be properly spent. If not, the funds should go to savings,’ he said.

He added that the Senate will take a firm stance in removing around P42 billion in appropriations for ayuda or social assistance programs from the unprogrammed funds in the 2026 budget bill and retain unprogrammed appropriations only for foreign-assisted projects.

Lacson also questioned why former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan received handwritten ‘memos’ from civilians or non-organic DPWH personnel endorsing certain projects when he headed the agency.

This is the latest in a string of irregularities Lacson uncovered in the DPWH while investigating alleged corrupt practices that led to substandard and ghost flood control projects.

‘I am baffled by the documents I saw, where Bonoan received handwritten memos that turned out to be from civilians or non-organic DPWH personnel. How did these memos, which were scribbled on Post-It notes, get to Bonoan?’ he said.

‘That’s the hard part. Such communications didn’t go through the official channels of the department. Why is the secretary dealing with them directly?’ he added.

Lacson earlier expressed concern over the so-called ‘leadership fund’ in the DPWH, which Bonoan described as a system for consolidating lawmakers’ project proposals in the National Expenditure Program – effectively allowing legislators to tinker with the budget before they are authorized to do so.

He also lamented that the DPWH would arbitrarily alter lawmakers’ requests, such as replacing a P1.5-billion proposal for multipurpose buildings with P600 million in flood control projects – an indication, he said, that kickbacks have taken precedence over genuine public needs.

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) said it is working ‘double time’ to clear the remaining 1,000 administrative cases against police officers who violated law enforcement rules, with two months left before its self-imposed year-end deadline.

Napolcom Commissioner Rafael Calinisan set the target when he was appointed as the agency’s vice chairperson and executive officer last April.

‘We’re on double time.,’ Calinisan said, speaking in Filipino, in a press briefing on Tuesday. ‘We won’t allow any pending cases by the end of December 2025. In fact, Napolcom now works every Saturday to finish the cases we inherited from 25 years ago.’

‘We have around 1,000 cases left. In all honesty, it’s all systems go. All our lawyers are focused on these cases,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Calinisan reiterated that cases filed since he became executive officer are subject to Office Order No. 2025-012, dated June 2, 2025, which gives Napolcom 60 working days to resolve complaints.