Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has pitched $108.88 million worth of agrifood investments aimed at increasing farmers’ income, improving productivity and ensuring returns for investors.

The DA proposed its multimillion-dollar agrifood investment portfolio covering four key commodities in the country – mango, abaca, seaweeds, and bamboo.

The DA showcased an investment portfolio for the farm sector at the 2025 Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum held during the World Food Forum (WFF). This was at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy.

According to the DA, the plan will benefit over 35,000 rural stakeholders in the sector. It projects a net present value (NPV) of $131.9 million with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 34.39 percent.

‘[The initiative] also aims to sequester over 280,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, supporting national climate goals,’ the DA said in a statement on Tuesday.

One of the proposed projects is mango processing. This involves investments in post-harvest treatment, cold storage and value-added products such as frozen mangoes, purees, and pickles.

The project is expected to generate an IRR of 39.58 percent and an NPV of $83.4 million.

World’s biggest abaca supplier

The abaca component entails establishing modern processing centers, rehabilitating farmland and supporting 300 farmers. It is intended to respond to a global supply gap of 25,000 metric tons.

The abaca project is anticipated to yield an IRR of 28.36 percent and increase the income of farmer-beneficiaries by 50 percent.

According to the DA, the Philippines supplies more than 85 percent of the world’s abaca fiber.

Hoping to capitalize on the country’s global dominance in carrageenan production, the DA seeks to employ the multiple raft method. This is a technique in cultivating seaweed in deeper waters with strong currents, to boost yields and improve seed quality.

‘With 73,467 hectares of untapped areas, it has the potential to raise farmer incomes by up to 60 percent,’ it said.

Meanwhile, the DA said the bamboo part of the investment portfolio targets the $72.1-billion global market for sustainable materials. It said that 1.5 million hectares of land have been identified as potential cultivation sites.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will auction off 13 smuggled luxury cars owned by contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya on November 15, 2025, according to the agency.

In an interview on Wednesday, BOC Assistant Commissioner Atty. Vincent Maranilla said that the agency was unsatisfied with the documents submitted by the couple to prove the legitimacy of the vehicle purchases.

‘The luxury cars of the Discayas, which we issued a warrant of seizure and detention, are for forfeiture. So they will be subjected to the auction process by November 15,’ Maranilla said speaking in Filipino.

Last September, the 13 cars were contained inside the compound of the agency after it issued a warrant of seizure and detention after finding sufficient grounds for seizure due to improper documentation of purchases. With this, the Discayas were given a final opportunity to submit documents to prove the legitimacy of purchases.

The BOC earlier said that of the 13 cars, seven were found to have no import entry records and certificates of payment (COP), while the remaining six have import entry records but dubious COPs or no payment documentation at all.

Prior to the issuance of WSD, the couple had already been given a chance to submit documents in relation to the cars believed to be smuggled.

‘They were given an initial of 15 days, they were issued WSD. During the seizure proceedings, they were given the same opportunity and they submitted the same [documents], which were unsatisfactory to the Bureau of Customs,’ Maranilla said in Filipino.

‘Our verification, the incompleteness of the documents, incompleteness of payment, and incompleteness of being sure that it was actually legally imported to the Philippines, is the basis why we are forfeiting these cars and scheduling them for auction,’ Maranilla added.

Maranilla also shared that the vehicles may be auctioned for P100 million to P200 million. He said that the funds collected from the auction will support the government’s priority projects.

Maranilla then assured potential buyers that the cars will be sold to them by the BOC itself, emphasizing that it will undergo through the proper auction process.

‘We will issue a certification that you bought this from an auction so you can use this properly and with no problem,’ he added.

But are the Discayas qualified to participate in the auction? Maranilla said that since the couple has not established that they are buyers in good faith, they are disqualified from it. He explained that the agency does not want the auction process for them to retrieve those that were illegally imported into the country.

Meanwhile, Maranilla said that the BOC will file charges for illegal importation under the Customs Modernization Act against the importer of the vehicles.

However, he clarified that if the investigations reveal that the couple is in cahoots with the illegal importers, then they will also be charged the same thing as them.

Update on the BOC personnel

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno earlier said that the BOC issued show cause orders to more than 10 of its personnel to explain how the cars entered ports under their authority. Maranilla noted that they have already submitted their explanations.

‘They submitted their affidavit. The hearing is ongoing in the investigation division, and once we issue a resolution on their cases, we’ll make it public,’ Maranilla said in Filipino. /jpv

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday ordered government engineers to carve a makeshift ladder at the alternative road used by commuters still using the landslide-hit Bukidnon-Davao (Buda) road in Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palacapao of Quezon town, Bukidnon.

Dizon, who went to Sitio Kipolot last Tuesday to survey the damage brought by the landslide, told reporters he nearly slipped when he tried the temporary pathway used by commuters.

Currently, those who take the Buda route between Cagayan de Oro and Davao cities have to disembark and walk either uphill or downhill to a waiting bus to complete their trip.

The secretary gave the Department of Public Works and Highways engineers one week to finish the temporary ladder to ease the plight of hundreds of commuters who have to contend with holding on to metal scaffoldings established along the pathway.

Dizon said rebuilding the highway could take up to seven months, including two months of geotechnical survey and soil testing.

After the results of the soil tests are known, Dizon said that would be the time to design the proposed alternative road by carving it on the slopes that were not affected by the landslide.

Dizon said the construction might be completed in five months

Startup venture Voltai introduced the Philippines’ first large-scale electric two-wheel battery swap ecosystem that is tailored to businesses operating vehicle fleets in a launch held today in Cleanfuel, Pasig City.

The exclusive event was attended by representatives from various businesses, particularly those with logistical, food and beverage delivery, and ride-hailing services.

The Private Express and Messengerial Association of the Philippines, and logistics associations were also present to see Voltai’s latest two-wheeled electric vehicles, battery swapping stations, and management application software.

‘The Voltai pilot preview marks the first step toward building the future of fleet e-mobility in the Philippines – smarter, cleaner, and more cost-efficient, ‘ said 1882 Energy Ventures Head of Ideation and Voltai Co-founder and CEO Fazlur Abdul Rahman. ‘As a business-to-business solution, it addresses downtime, frequent maintenance, and fuel cost challenges for fleet businesses and riders, while also providing remote visibility on utilization.’

Voltai is a startup under 1882 Energy Ventures, a company under Aboitiz Power Corporation, focused on helping shape the decarbonization and decentralization of the energy system in the country.

The venture leases its EVs and batteries for a fixed fee, thereby shielding consumer businesses from rising vehicle costs and fluctuating fuel prices. Battery swapping also allows for faster turnaround when powering up.

With consumer businesses switching from gas-powered two-wheel fleets to electric, it also lowers their overall emissions.

Its mobile app serves as a rider’s interface for checking battery health and identifying the nearest battery swap station, which they can be routed to via Google Maps. Tracking location, swap history,

and rider performance are also available in the mobile app. Customers will also gain access to Voltai’s web-based Fleet Management System where managers can view location, trip history, cumulative mileage, various alerts, and carbon emission reduction, as well as organize riders by area or shift.

Still in its pilot stage, Voltai has partnered with fuel retailer Cleanfuel, as well as co-living and dormitory brand MyTown, to situate 15 battery swapping stations, the largest 2W EV swap network in the country thus far.

Voltai plans to further expand next year in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and further strengthen its after-sales support, addressing range anxiety, and making it easier for logistics, delivery, and transport operators to swap a depleted battery with a fully charged one in a matter of seconds.

The Electric Vehicle Industry Reform Act or EVIDA mandates industrial and commercial companies; public transport operators, and local government units, national government agencies, and government-owned and controlled corporations to ensure that at least 5% of their fleet, whether owned or leased, are electric vehicles.

‘We are very excited to share Voltai with the Philippine market and provide businesses with fleet requirements a competitive edge through lower costs, higher efficiency, and reduced emissions without the need to shoulder heavy upfront costs,’ shared Rahman.

The Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 targets re-fleeting 10% to 50% of all fleets with electric vehicles by 2040 onwards under Business-As-Usual and Clean Energy scenarios, respectively.

Anne Curtis once again proved that confidence can outshine pitch perfection when she performed ‘Golden’ from ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ during her appearance at a show abroad.

Known for her off-key yet entertaining vocals, Curtis graced the stage of the ‘ASAP’ 30th anniversary show in Vancouver, Canada, earlier this week.

As captured in the clips posted online, the actress-host delivered her ‘Golden’ stage number with full energy and zero hesitation as she belted out the high notes.

Mid-performance, Curtis even asked the audience if they wanted her to raise the high notes even more, which drew further cheers.

The viral clips earned laughter from netizens who had long embraced Curtis’s trademark confidence and not-so-perfect singing voice.

‘Talento in singing? Nahhh. Entertainment? Yes na yes! Go Anne! Hehehe happy lang no nega!’ wrote one netizen. It’s not the first time Curtis has trended for her singing; her past performances of pop hits and ballads have become iconic for the same reason.

In 2019, the ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’ actress responded to a netizen who told her to stop singing because it’s clearly not for her.

‘I will continue to sing because I love it. I am aware that I am not a singer, and in fact, the whole country has known this throughout my whole career. I never claimed I was. I’m actually vocal that I’m off-key, although I feel I’ve improved throughout the years, in fairness to me,’ Curtis said at the time.

Curtis noted that the concerts she headlined were ‘for pure entertainment, and the people who buy tickets already knew what to expect’ from them.

Over the years, Curtis has staged her solo concerts titled ‘Annebisyosa’ in 2012, ‘Annekapal’ in 2014, ‘Anne-Kulit’ in 2018, and ‘Luv-Anne’ in 2022. /edv

Senate President Vicente Sotto III is confident that there will be no change in leadership once the chamber’s sessions resume in November.

In a Kapihan sa Senado forum on Wednesday, Sotto was asked if he is confident that he will still be the Senate chief once the chamber opens its second regular session for the 20th Congress.

‘Yes, oo. God willing,’ said Sotto.

This came after Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson admitted that he warned Sotto of a possible change in Senate leadership now that he is poised to return as the chairperson of the powerful blue ribbon panel.

Asked about Lacson’s warning, Sotto simply said: ‘So be it. Ako’y matagal nang takot kaya di na ako tinatablan ng takot.’ (I’ve been afraid for long. They can’t scare me.)

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

Prior to this, rumors of an alleged attempt to unseat Sotto circulated in the Senate, but the Senate chief himself denied such rumors.

Even Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who was rumored to replace Sotto, denied plotting an ouster against the present Senate President.

Cayetano said the rumors surrounding an attempt to push for a change in the Senate leadership might be coming from the majority and minority bloc’s respective supporters. /jpv

State prosecutors on Tuesday submitted for resolution the multiple murder and serious illegal detention complaint against businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang, actress Gretchen Barretto and 61 others, as relatives of the ‘sabungeros’ (cockfighters) reported missing since 2021 expressed hope for justice.

‘When it comes to evidence, we have our whistleblower, and everything he says is true. We’ve also seen proof, like the place where the bodies were supposedly dumped, where bones have actually been found,’ complainant Ryan Bautista said, referring to Julie ‘Dondon’ Patidongan, formerly a close aide of Ang who had turned against him.

Patidongan’s claim that the missing cockfighters were dumped in Taal Lake led to a Philippine Coast Guard search there in July.

‘Although the DNA has not yet been linked, at least there is proof that there were [human] bones recovered there,’ said Bautista, whose brother Michael was among the cockfighters who disappeared after joining a game in Laguna in 2021.

According to Bautista, the other relatives said they would not agree to any settlement.

‘From the very beginning, back when someone tried to negotiate a settlement, we all talked and agreed that this time, since we already have a witness, no one will give in. We are all united in this. Until the end, we will fight,’ he said.

‘DNA evidence’

Patidongan, who still faces kidnapping charges in connection with the disappearances, claimed the cockfighters were abducted, strangled to death, and dumped in Taal Lake by a group of policemen supposedly on Ang’s orders.

Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez said a total of 981 bones had been recovered and submitted for examination as of Oct. 12 and 887 of these were identified as human bones.

But investigators have yet to obtain DNA samples that match the recovered remains, even as the preliminary investigation into the case was concluded on Tuesday.

Martinez said ‘if the evidence as it stands [already] warrants a finding that there is prima facie evidence to proceed to trial, we would not need to look at the DNA evidence.’

‘If the assessment by the panel of prosecutors is that there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, given what we have on hand, there will be no need to look into the DNA evidence or to wait for the results of the DNA examination,’ he said.

Refer back to CIDG

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit said: ‘The panel will try to resolve the case as soon as possible within the period allowed by the rules.’

Prosecutors have up to 60 days, under DOJ rules, to resolve the case, which means a resolution could be reached before the year ends.

But Ang’s counsel, Gabriel Villareal, wants his client’s case referred back to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police.

‘As I said previously, I would prefer that the case be reinvestigated. That way, we can truly find out who is really involved in the disappearance of the missing cockfight enthusiasts,’ Villareal said.

He added ‘If we simply dismiss this case without a resolution on what really happened, I would rather that it be returned to the CIDG so they can thoroughly study and gather all the complete evidence they can find.’

Guhit said the prosecutors would consider if the case should, indeed, be returned to the CIDG. ‘Technically speaking, this case is pending preliminary investigation. So [the] way forward is to resolve the case – so it’s either dismissal or for filing [in court],’ he said.

Possibility of dismissal

Villareal also maintained the evidence gathered so far against Ang does ‘not have enough credibility.’

Last month, Ang filed libel and other charges against Patidongan and an alleged accomplice of his, Alan Bantiles, before a Mandaluyong court.

But on September 30, the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed these charges for lack of evidence.

Guhit said if the case being resolved leads to its dismissal, the complainants may refile the charges against Ang and submit additional documents or testimonies to the DOJ.

He said of the 62 respondents, 57 – including Ang, Barretto, several police officers, and members of Ang’s so-called inner circle, the Alpha Group – have submitted their counter-affidavits.

Amid dating rumors, Klea Pineda denied that she and Janella Salvador got a couple tattoo after their photo at a tattoo shop recently went viral.

Pineda told reporters at the QCinema International Film Festival press launch on Tuesday, Oct. 22, in Quezon City, Diliman, that she and Salvador did go to a tattoo shop but not to get a matching tattoo.

‘Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit kailangan pa kumalat ‘yung ganung klaseng photo. Pero yes, galing kaming tattoo shop (I don’t know why that kind of photo needs to go viral. But yes, we went to a tattoo shop),’ she said. ‘Hindi siya couple tattoo (It’s not a couple tattoo).’

The Kapuso star explained that she wanted to keep private whatever tattoo they got separately.

‘Ayaw namin, ayokong ipakita kung ano man ‘yung tattoo na nakuha ko, and ‘yung tattoo na pinagawa niya kasi gusto namin, ako, i-keep ‘yun na private. Kung makita niyo sa photos, e di makita niyo,’ she said.

(We don’t want to show off whatever tattoo I got, and the tattoo she had done because we, I, want to keep it private; if you see it in the photos, then that’s it.)

Pineda and Salvador have been spotted at multiple sightings, most recently at a tattoo shop in Makati, after they became close working on the queer film ‘Open Endings,’ which is part of the QCinema lineup this year following its debut at Cinemalaya in August.

The ‘StarStruck’ alumna reiterated that whatever is going on between her and Salvador at the moment, she wants to protect and keep it to herself.

‘This time, mas pinipili ko na kung ano man ‘yung mga magagandang nangyayari sa akin sa love life ko, sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay ko, gusto ko siya protektahan, ‘yung happiness, ‘yung magandang bagay na ‘yon,’ Pineda explained.

(This time, I’m choosing to focus on whatever good things are happening to me in my love life, in all aspects of my life; I want to protect that happiness, that good thing.)

‘Kung ano man ‘yung nakikita niyo sa social media, ‘yun na ‘yon, wala na kaming dapat iexplain, hindi naman namin utang na loob sa mga tao na ipaliwanag kung anong meron, kung anong klaseng relationship ‘yung meron kami,’ continued the actress.

(Whatever you see on social media, that’s it; we don’t have to explain anything . We don’t owe it to people to explain what’s going on or what kind of relationship we have.)

Pineda previously dated content creator Katrice Kierulf for two years before confirming their separation earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Salvador was in a relationship with actor Markus Paterson, with whom she shares a 4-year-old son, Jude. /edv

A public school teacher was shot dead by her husband inside a classroom in Matalom, Leyte, on Wednesday morning, the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) reported.

This marks the second shooting incident inside a school campus in Leyte this month.

On October 16, a teacher in Tanauan, Leyte, was shot and wounded by her estranged husband but managed to survive. The suspect was immediately arrested by responding authorities. Police said jealousy was the motive behind the attack.

In Matalom, the victim, identified by police as alias ‘Ellen,’ 39, married, and a teacher at Agbanga Elementary School in Barangay Agbanga, Matalom, was allegedly gunned down by her husband, alias ‘Lino,’ 49, jobless, and a resident of Barangay Caridad Sur, Matalom.

Based on a police report, the incident occurred around 11:05 a.m. inside the classroom of one of the victim’s co-teachers. Initial investigation revealed that the victim ran into the room seeking help after being chased by her husband, who followed her and, without hesitation, fired several shots using an unidentified firearm, hitting her multiple times and killing her instantly.

After the shooting, the suspect fled aboard a white Suzuki minivan heading toward Matalom proper.

Personnel of the Matalom Municipal Police Station immediately responded to the scene after receiving a call from a concerned citizen at around 11:09 a.m. Police are currently conducting a hot pursuit operation to track down the suspect, while nearby stations have been alerted to set up chokepoints and dragnet operations.

Authorities have requested the Matalom Municipal Health Officer to conduct a post-mortem examination, while the Baybay City Forensic Unit has been tasked to process the crime scene

The Senate blue ribbon committee will continue its probe into other alleged anomalous transactions of the government.

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, said the blue ribbon committee will continue probing into other reported anomalies surrounding government transactions.

‘It will continue. The blue ribbon’s probe will continue into other anomalous transactions or accountability of any public officers. That is precisely the reason that the blue ribbon was created, to look at the accountability of public officials,’ Sotto said partly in Filipino.

Apart from flood control projects, farm to market road (FMR) projects surfaced during recent Senate hearings after Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian revealed that over P10 billion worth of FMRs programmed under the 2023 and 2024 national budgets have been ‘extremely overpriced.’

One project, for example, cost 23 times more than the standard price set by the DPWH while others saw markups of up to 70 percent, further bloating the project cost.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr., meanwhile, said the DPWH set a P15,000 per meter standard cost for FMRs, but this could go as low as P10,000 if the ’30 percent’ markup was trimmed.