Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday tagged Benguet lone district Rep. Eric Yap as the ‘person of interest’ behind a construction firm involved in the complaint filed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over anomalous flood control projects in La Union.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon personally filed complaints of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents against DPWH officials and the Silverwolves Construction Corporation and St. Timothy Corporation for separate flood control projects in the two provinces.

‘For Silverwolves Construction Corporation, the person of interest here is Congressman Eric Yap, who is known to be the beneficial owner of the company,’ Remulla said in a press conference. ‘He divested from it a few years ago, supposedly but there’s still reason to suspect that he’s still the beneficial owner of the company so there’s clear conflict of interest punishable also under RA [Republic Act] 3019,’ Remulla added.

However, Dizon clarified that the beneficial owners of the construction firms are not included in the complaints. Remulla said that as the person of interest was already identified, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) will conduct its own research.

Meanwhile, when asked if they would ask the AMLC to freeze Yap’s assets, Remulla answered in the affirmative.

‘As soon as possible because he is already a person of interest,’ he noted.

The Benguet solon previously denied any involvement in alleged kickbacks in government infrastructure projects, noting that he has never authorized delivery of money in relation to anomalous flood control projects.

He was earlier implicated after a supposed former security consultant of resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said that Yap brought 46 suitcases containing money to Co’s residence in Pasig City.

Meanwhile, Remulla said that they found out through the AMLC that contractors Pacifico and Cezarah ‘Sara’ Discaya sent money to ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Edvic Yap, brother of Eric, around 2019 or 2020.

‘We received a transmission of money from AMLC that went to Edvic Yap so we saw the pattern. They have something to do with the contracts because we saw the transmission of money from the Discayas,’ he pointed out.

He also tagged Bulacan 6th District Rep. Salvador Pleyto as one of those who received money from the Discayas.

‘The other one was not yet a congressman but a congressman now. The other one is Salvador Pleyto, congressman from Bulacan, yung kasama sa remittance ng Discaya na na-tag ng AMLC,’ Remulla said.

Remulla noted that the transmittal of money proves that the tagged personalities have something to do with the contracts of government infrastructure projects.

Joeven Dela Vega is ready for his major comeback in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference after recovering from a serious health issue.

After missing the Open Conference, where the PGJC-Navy lost nine of its 10 games, Dela Vega vows to make up for lost time after undergoing a procedure called video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). ‘When I got discharged from the hospital, I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to come back. It was really tough. I lost more than 10 kilos. I really pushed my body, not to the extreme, but just enough to slowly regain my strength,’ Dela Vega told the reporters in Filipino.

‘So when I returned to Manila, it was much easier. Physically, I was okay, and once I got back to training, I was able to handle the ball well again.’

The 27-year-old spiker has been training with the Sealions for two months now, but he made sure to maintain his physical condition during his recovery through strength and conditioning exercises. ‘I’m super excited because this is what I’ve been working for. I pushed myself to get back in shape just to be able to play in this upcoming conference. Hopefully, I’ll be able to compete well,’ he said.

‘Right now, we’re taking things step by step. One game at a time. Last year wasn’t a good run for our team, so hopefully this conference, we’ll be more competitive against the top teams and really climb the standings.’

Dela Vega also got an extra inspiration for his comeback after the Philippine men’s volleyball program got a big boost from the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, where Alas Pilipinas proved it belongs.

‘Super inspired. We’re all very excited, especially seeing the amount of support growing for men’s volleyball. The level has really gone up, and we’re hoping for a great showing this conference,’ Dela Vega said.

Navy opens its campaign against Criss Cross on Monday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III is confident he will remain the head of the chamber when it opens its second regular session in November.

‘Yes. God willing,’ Sotto told reporters at the ‘Kapihan sa Senado’ forum on Wednesday who asked him if he sees himself keeping his post.

Asked what made Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson decide to come back as head of the powerful blue ribbon committee, Sotto said at a separate forum that the former wants to continue what he started.

‘He felt that our colleagues and even the public knew he had left behind some things that needed to be continued. As they say, he had unfinished business in the blue ribbon committee,’ Sotto said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo currently serves as acting chair of the committee.

The day before, Sotto confirmed that Lacson would retake the committee chairmanship when sessions resume.

Lacson, however, said he had warned Sotto that his return might cost the latter the support of the majority and possibly even the Senate presidency.

Asked about Lacson’s warning, Sotto simply said: ‘So be it. I’ve been afraid for so long that I no longer get scared.’

Sotto dodged an alleged coup d’etat before the chamber adjourned its session on Oct. 10.

Prior to this, there were rumors about an alleged attempt to unseat him which he himself denied.

Even Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who was reported to be Sotto’s replacement, denied plotting against the Senate president.

Disappointed colleagues

Not long after this, Lacson resigned as head of the blue ribbon panel on Oct. 7. He cited as a reason the ‘disappointment’ of some of his colleagues over the direction being taken by the committee in its investigation of anomalous flood control projects.

According to Lacson, some senators claimed he seemed more interested in going after their colleagues while protecting House lawmakers who had been tagged as the ‘principal actors’ in irregularities in the 2025 national budget and ghost flood control projects.

As for Lacson’s warning that he might end up losing the Senate presidency with his return, Sotto said: ‘As far as we know, everything is stable in the Senate.’

‘Each of us is preoccupied with our respective duties and personal concerns,’ he added as he also noted that Cayetano himself told him ‘he was not talking to anyone.’

Collegial choice

‘So as far as we’re concerned, that was probably just a deduction made by other people. It could be something that is true, but then again, we leave it to our peers,’ Sotto said.

But he also reiterated that he serves at the pleasure of his colleagues, saying he could serve in any position or even as a regular senator.

Sotto headed the Senate minority group when the majority chose to reelect Sen. Francis Escudero as Senate president during the opening of the 20th Congress on July 28.

But on Sept. 8, Escudero’s position was declared vacant, and Sotto was subsequently elected new Senate president. According to a Senate source, Escudero lost his post because he stalled the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and also due to his connection with Centerways Construction and Development Inc., one of the 15 contractors identified by President Marcos that had bagged controversial flood control projects.

Sotto admitted the possible leadership change in the Senate was mentioned when he and Lacson were discussing the latter’s return as blue ribbon panel chair.

‘Of course, some people were thinking that if I was not the Senate President, Senator Lacson would not become the blue ribbon committee chair,’ he said.

But Lacson was just following the evidence, Sotto stressed, adding: ‘We are not targeting a particular person or sector of government. It just so happens that this is where the trail is leading.’

The Philippines’ national men’s softball team, the RP Blu Boys, backed by Cebuana Lhuillier have embarked on a 2 week-long training camp and a series of tune-up games in Igashikagawa, Japan, as part of their intensive preparations for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games. The training camp is supported by long-time softball patron Cebuana Lhuillier and organized in partnership with the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL).

During their stay in Japan, the Blu Boys will face top-tier teams from Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong in an International Exchange Tournament, providing them with valuable international exposure and high-level competition experience. These matches will serve as crucial tune-ups for the team as they aim to reclaim the gold medal in the SEA Games.

ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier, a steadfast supporter of Philippine softball, expressed confidence in the team’s continued growth and determination.

‘This Japan training camp is a vital step in strengthening the RP Blu Boys’ skills and teamwork as they prepare to represent the country in the SEA Games,’ said Lhuillier. ‘Playing against world-class teams will not only boost their confidence but also refine their strategies for regional competition. Cebuana Lhuillier remains fully committed to supporting our national athletes as they strive for excellence and bring pride to the Philippines.’

The RP Blu Boys have consistently been one of the country’s strongest contenders in international softball, having made notable appearances in the Men’s Softball World Cup and various regional tournaments. With Cebuana Lhuillier’s continued backing and ASAPHIL’s development programs, the team is poised for another gold medal run in the SEA Games.

It was before the break of dawn when I set out for Santa Cruz, Laguna, to meet chef Gel Salonga Datu and her husband Dino Datu. They welcomed me to their cafe, Ted’s Kitchen with unpasteurized kesong puti and freshly baked bread, followed by beef tapa for breakfast. My morning was slowly unfolding deliciously.

But with Gel and Dino, I knew I was in for more than a good meal it was a heritage journey, too.

We headed to the lakeside town of Pakil to visit Anita Añonuevo, beloved and known by many as ‘Nanay Nits’ the only remaining maker of the birhen-birhenan, or Turumba cookies, which was a rare, sacred delicacy.

The origin of the Turumba festival

The centuries-old Turumba festival is a celebration of faith, joy, and healing. It honors the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother, remembered through the lupi (or ‘fold’) of seven novena prayers and processions. With each lupi, the people of Pakil gather in song and dance, turning sorrow into thanksgiving through the rhythmic turumba.

Nanay Nits shared the story: Several fishermen once saw a framed painting of Our Lady of Sorrows floating in the lake near Pakil. They tried to bring it ashore but could not. One Sunday later, a group of women found the same painting resting on a large rock. They also tried to lift it to bring it to the church but it was too heavy. They then called the parish priest, who gathered the townspeople to pray over the image. After the prayers, the painting suddenly became light enough to carry.

As the people bore the icon toward the church, they began to sing and dance joyfully, chanting, ‘Sa Birhen!’ And with that, the Turumba festival was born.

(Fun fact: The image of Our Lady of Sorrows is not life-sized, as one might expect, but a small hand-painted icon.)

A labor of love

Turumba is believed to mean ‘natumba sa tuwa,’ or to ‘fall into joy,’ through sorrow that transforms to joy by virtue of faith and devotion to Mama Mary. During the festivities, the Turumba cookies are sold outside the church. Pilgrims and devotees believe that the treats carry the Blessed Mother’s intercession bringing comfort, blessings, and healing to those who partake in it with faith.

Nanay Nits learned how to make the cookies from her mother-in-law. It was the joy of shaping the cookies into the likeness of the Virgin that she was drawn to. But there is nothing ordinary about the Birhen-Birhenan. The process is laborious a love offering of sorts by the maker to the Virgin.

The process begins by soaking glutinous rice overnight. The rice is drained and pounded together with turmeric. To the mixture, melted panutsa straight from the stove is incorporated by kneading it into the rice flour. ‘My hands often hurt and blister,’ Nanay Nits confesses.

When the dough is smooth, she rolls it thin then cuts it with her self-made shapers and a precision cutter. working meticulously to achieve every detail. The cookie is then cooked on a hot pan brushed with a little oil. It is flipped and left to cook until firm.

Despite the difficulties that come with age, Nanay Nits continues to make the birhen-birhenan when she can as an act of devotion to Mama Mary. With a sigh she says, ‘I am old. Hopefully, my granddaughters can carry on the tradition.’

We bid Nanay Nits goodbye, grateful for the rare privilege of witnessing a true food artisan at work to keep the dying art of Turumba cookies alive.

Laguna’s food and culture

Our next stop was Lumban, Laguna the embroidery capital of the Philippines, where artisan Ailyn Del Moral and master bordadoras sew intricate designs onto jusi, one needlepoint at a time. Eventually, I had to return to Manila, but not before savoring Laguna’s cuisine at Aurora, founded by the late chef Day Salonga, Gel’s brother.

I enjoyed the sinugno (fish in burnt coconut milk), ginataang kalabaw with papaya, the delicious ginataang yapyap (tiny shrimps), cachuela (bangus in kamias and miso), and the unforgettable inalamangang hornong baboy crispy pork tossed in alamang that I still dream of today.

A most interesting dish was the minanok a post-war creation from Santa Cruz that mimics chicken using puso ng saging stewed in coconut vinegar and burnt cream. It’s a merienda staple, often paired with maruya (banana fritters).

My half-day spent in Laguna was brief but deeply meaningful.

Discover Laguna’s local food, crafts, art, and culture on Oct. 25 at the 5th Sa Pantalan – Biyaheng Pangkatagalugan Festival at Ted’s Warehouse, Santa Cruz, Laguna

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Minanok

Ingredients

3 coconuts, grated

1 cup water

1 large or 2 small banana hearts

2 red onions, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 thumb ginger, minced

1 cup coconut vinegar

1 tsp black pepper

3 Tbsp oil

Patis, to taste

6 pcs charcoal

Procedure

Place grated coconut in a bowl. Heat charcoal until red hot, then toss with the coconut, cover, and let it toast for 5 minutes.

Remove charcoal, then add 1 cup water, squeeze out the cream, and strain.

Boil sliced banana heart until tender, drain, and shred.

In a pan, sauté garlic, onion, and ginger in oil. Add banana heart, vinegar, patis, and pepper. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Add coconut cream and cook over low heat until thick and oily.

Garnish with fried onions and serve with maruya.

The New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) remitted about P57 billion to the national government in just one year of its privatized operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, its president and San Miguel Corp. CEO Ramon Ang said Thursday.

Ang made the statement during an ambush interview while inspecting Naia with Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez in preparation for Undas.

NAIA President Ramon Ang (L) and Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez inspected NAIA on Oct. 23, 2025 in preparation for Undas.

‘Eighty-two percent of what is collected here goes to the government, not us,’ Ang said in Filipino.

‘Why do we agree to such a small share of the earnings? Because we want to gain experience in running an airport. That’s it,’ he added.

According to Ang, the remitted amount covers the period from NNIC’s takeover at Naia on September 14, 2024, until October 20, 2025.

‘Not even a single chair did we purchase here. And yet we paid such a huge amount do you see that?’ he said.

Lopez echoed Ang’s remark, noting that before the NNIC took over NAIA through a public-private partnership in 2014, the Manila International Airport Authority had remitted only around P32 billion to the government over nearly three decades.

‘The total dividends we gave the government amounted to only about P32 billion in almost 30 years, compared with P57 billion in just one year,’ he said.

‘This is the result of a fair, transparent, and well-studied competitive bidding process conducted by experts,’ he added.

Manila Electric Co., the power distribution firm led by tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, is tapping the expertise of a US-based firm to bolster its smart grid modernization plan.

The company said Wednesday it has teamed up with Itron, Inc., a known player in energy and water resource management with its solutions reaching utilities in more than 100 countries.

As the country’s biggest power distributor, Meralco, through its advanced metering infrastructure program, seeks to deploy ‘a smarter, more responsive, and customer-centric energy system.’

According to its top official, Meralco hopes to take advantage of Iltron’s ‘Gen5 solution,’ meant to provide ‘near real-time, two-way communication’ between its operations and end users.

‘With Itron’s Gen5 solution, we are building a smart grid that not only supports the country’s push toward advancing the digital economy but also enhances Meralco’s customer-centricity through improved billing services, greater customer visibility into their energy use, and improved response times to outages,’ Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said in a statement.

Coverage

The initial coverage will include 73,000 endpoints across Metro Manila.

Meralco intends to expand the rollout to cover its other franchise areas, such as Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and select areas in Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon.

‘Our proven, scalable Gen5 solution is upgrading the way Meralco delivers, measures and manages electricity. The solution is designed to support multiple meter brands, giving Meralco the flexibility to scale without vendor lock-in,’ Itron senior vice president of Networked Solutions John Marcolini said.

‘For a utility with such a large and diverse service territory, that flexibility is essential to future-proofing deployments and reducing total cost of ownership,’ Marcolini added.

Small-scale fishermen in this province expressed their strong support for House Bill No. 5606, also known as the ‘Atin Ang Kinse Kilometro’ Bill, that seeks to grant exclusive fishing rights to municipal and subsistence fisherfolk within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. In a phone interview early this week, Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the New Masinloc Fishermen Association, welcomed the filing of the bill and reiterated the need for government protection of their fishing grounds.

‘We strongly oppose the decision of the Supreme Court (SC), and we do not recognize that commercial fishing vessels can enter our municipal fishing grounds,’ Cuaresma said.

Cuaresma was referring to a SC ruling that allows commercial fishing vessels to operate within municipal waters deeper than seven fathoms (12.8 meters).

The ruling stemmed from a petition filed by Mercidar Fishing Corporation, an operator of large commercial fishing vessels, before the Regional Trial Court of Malabon. The petition sought to declare certain provisions of the Fisheries Code and its implementing rules and regulations unconstitutional.

Despite the high court decision, fishing groups in Zambales, with support from the provincial government, have formed an anti-illegal fishing task force. This task force, which includes fishermen conducting seaborne patrols, monitors commercial fishing vessels to prevent them from entering the province’s municipal waters.

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Cuaresma noted that the newly filed bill would further strengthen their efforts to protect the municipal waters from large-scale commercial operations, which are often involved in illegal fishing practices.

‘Poorest of the poor’

In the bill’s explanatory note, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Louise Co, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago pointed out that despite the Philippines being an archipelagic nation with abundant marine and aquatic resources, small fisherfolk remain among the ‘poorest of the poor.’

According to 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the poverty incidence among the fisherfolk sector stands at 27.4%, slightly lower than the 32.4% rate among indigenous peoples.

The legislators noted that small fisherfolk have long identified the government’s fisheries laws and policies, such as Republic Act No. 8550 (the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998) and its amendments through Republic Act No. 10654, as major contributors to the sector’s persistent poverty.

‘These laws have institutionalized the entry of large-scale commercial fishing vessels within the 15-km municipal fishing waters that the law itself designates for municipal fisherfolk,’ the lawmakers’ explanatory note read.

They added: ‘Adding to their burden, a recent SC decision declared the preferential rights of municipal fisherfolk unconstitutional.’

The bill, if enacted, will prohibit commercial fishing vessels from operating within municipal waters. Commercial fishing operators and boat captains found guilty of violating this law will face penalties, including a fine equivalent to the value of the catch or P10,000, whichever is higher, for the first offense. For a second offense, the fine will be imposed along with the confiscation of the catch and fishing gear. A third offense will result in imprisonment for six months and the automatic revocation of the fishing license.

Leaders of the activist fisherfolk group Pamalakaya, who coordinated with the Makabayan legislators in crafting the bill, pledged to lead a nationwide campaign for its passage.

‘This is in response to the Court’s order to completely open municipal waters to commercial fishing vessels. Small-scale fishermen continue to fear that large-scale fisheries will eventually take over their traditional fishing grounds,’ said Fernando Hicap, National Chairperson of Pamalakaya.

Following weeks of surveillance, a joint team of police operatives launched a buy-bust operation in Barangay Kapatagan here, resulting in the arrest of four suspects at around 10:49 p.m. on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Peter Glenn Ipong, Digos City acting police chief, identified the suspects through their aliases as Li, 40; Dondon, 41; Oning, 37; and Chikoy, 43. The suspects, all men, are farmers and residents of Barangay Kapatagan.

Ipong said the suspects are listed as ‘street-level drug personalities’ from whom authorities seized multiple sachets of suspected meth weighing some 42.14 grams with an estimated street value of ?286,552. Also seized was a caliber .357 revolver with no pertinent documents.

The seized drugs and firearm were forwarded to Davao City for laboratory examination.

Ipong commended the operatives for their dedication, emphasizing the station’s continued commitment to the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign and calling on the public to remain vigilant and supportive in achieving a safer, drug-free Digos City.

The team was composed of drug enforcement units from Region 11; Davao del Sur police office; Digos City police intelligence unit led by Police Captain June Mar Pasobillo; and PDEA-11 personnel, with Ipong as the overall supervisor of the operation.

Lindsey Vander Weide fought through a high fever to power Petro Gazz past erstwhile unbeaten Akari, 29-27, 25-22, 19-25, 17-25, 15-11, in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

Despite missing practice on the eve of the match due to a 40-degree fever, Vander Weide suited up and delivered 22 points, including the Angels’ last three, to avert a meltdown after squandering a two-set lead. ‘I’m not feeling great, but I was worse the last two days,’ said Vander Weide, who finished with 20 kills and two blocks. ‘So I knew when I woke up and was at least feeling decent that I was 100% going to play the game no matter what. I wasn’t sure how great I was going to do. I think I could have done a little bit better, but for how I’m feeling right now, I’m happy that we won.’

‘At the end of the day, we pulled it out. I don’t love how we played in the third and fourth set, but the fact that we still won in five after losing the momentum just really shows what we can do as a team.’ Petro Gazz caught fire after Akari forced a fifth set with Brooke Van Sickle mounting a 7-2 start.

The Chargers cut it down to one after four straight points, but Myla Pablo restored the order with a kill and an ace before Djanel Cheng blocked Annie Mitchem for a 10-6 spread. Mitchem kept the Chargers afloat, trimming the deficit to one anew, 11-10, but Vander Weide put on the finishing touches to prevail in two hours and 33 minutes.

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Van Sickle delivered another all-around game with 19 points, 13 excellent receptions, and 12 digs. MJ Phillips had 13 points, including four blocks, while Pablo continued to thrive as an opposite hitter with 12 points.

‘We knew that Akari’s tough. We came out firing, kind of let up a little bit. But we just kept battling, And that fourth set, didn’t feel like it was happening, so we benched a couple of starters. They weren’t too happy, but felt that bring them back, have energy, and we needed it in the fifth,’ said Petro Gazz coach Gary Van Sickle.

Akari dropped to a 2-1 record in its third consecutive five-setter despite Mitchem’s 30-point effort. Fifi Sharma had 18 points, while Eli Soyud and Ced Domingo had 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Petro Gazz battles ZUS Coffee for its third straight win next week on Tuesday at the same venue at 4 p.m., as Akari seeks bounce back against the winless Galeries Tower at 1:30 p.m.