Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday urged greater investment in digital transformation, describing it as a ‘weapon against corruption’ that can end the manipulation of public funds through the digitalization of government processes.

In a speech at the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the SMX Convention Center, Duterte noted how digital transformation has become a strategic tool for good governance and nation-building, as it enabled innovation in the business sector, all while improving the country’s capacity to deliver public services.

‘More importantly, it is our weapon against corruption. As we digitize, we automate our processes, make data and all government transactions seamless, borderless, and transparent, and we leave no room for scrupulous backdoor transactions,’ said Duterte.

‘We take away the power of corrupt leaders to manipulate public funds and capitalize on people’s money for their personal interests, greed, and political ambition,’ she added.

Duterte noted how technology has allowed the government to more effectively impose checks and balances, as well as eliminate ‘politically motivated decision-making,’ and prevent ‘unconstitutional budget insertions to curry political favor at the expense of the people’s money.’

‘If technology is a blessing to modern society, then let us use it to protect the people’s rights and welfare – the right to have better governance, the right to have better opportunities in our homeland, and the strong political will to put our leaders in check when they have unforgivably gone beyond the authority that the people have vested in them,’ said Duterte.

‘Let us use technology and digital transformation as weapons to close the door where corruption once thrived, unchecked and unpunished,’ she added.

Furthermore, Duterte noted investing in digital transformation is tantamount to investing in the country’s people, building better future opportunities, and creating a stronger and more competitive nation.

‘These strategies will be significant economic drivers that will help create local jobs, increase domestic activities, and spur development and progress in domestic and micro-economies across the Philippines,’ said Duterte.

Duterte’s pronouncements come amid the government and the private sector’s ongoing efforts to improve digitalization.

Her remarks also reflected recent government corruption scandals, including the alleged anomalies in infrastructure deals-particularly, flood control projects-as well as her own office’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

The Sandiganbayan will craft its own rules and procedures that would help expedite the filing of cases against personalities involved in cases related to the anomalous flood control projects, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

‘I was told that the Sandiganbayan is now trying to craft its own rules and procedures, probably for the continued trial of cases. I requested that already to the Presiding Justice [Geraldine Econg], 10 days ago,’ Remulla said in a press briefing on Monday.

He likewise revealed that the Office of the Ombudsman will start its preliminary investigation on six flood control-related cases in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro next week.

Remulla disclosed that they will start filing cases against the personalities before the anti-graft court by next month.

On September 20, the ICI submitted its first-ever interim report to the Ombudsman, flagging possible anomalies in a P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

In its 32-page report, the ICI urged the anti-graft body to determine appropriate charges against 18 public officials, including Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

The project, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways Region IV-B (Mimaropa) through contractor Sunwest, Inc., involves the construction of a road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon earlier disclosed that the five cases in Bulacan involved officials from the district office and the contractors last October 14.

‘Taxi Driver,’ the hit Korean drama starring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, and Pyo Ye-jin, is coming back for a third season set to premiere on Nov. 21.

Viu announced the hit K-drama’s return in a press statement where Lee, Kim, and Pyo are set to reprise their roles as Kim Do-gi, Jang Sung-chul, and Ahn Go-eun, respectively.

They will be joined by Jang Hyuk-Jin and Bae Yoo-ram, who will star as Choi Kyung-ku and Park Jin-eon.

Based on the webtoon ‘The Deluxe Taxi (Red Cage),’ ‘Taxi Driver’ tells the story of a Korean Military Academy graduate Kim Do-gi (Lee), who was hired as a taxi driver for Rainbow Taxi Company, a firm that offers revenge call services to clients after his mom’s death.

This means that Kim and his colleagues were entrusted to take revenge for those who were wronged by society or in a different form.

The first season premiered in April 2021, while its second installment was released in February 2023. It soon became a hit in South Korea with both seasons earning double-digit ratings, according to data from Nielsen Korea.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday released a copy of her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) for the year 2024.

She has earlier called for greater public access to SALNs of government officials to help improve transparency and accountability in public service.

Based on her SALN as of Dec. 31, 2024, Hontiveros declared total assets of P19.88 million, liabilities of P897,840, and a net worth of P18.99 million.

Her declared assets include three residential properties and personal items such as cash deposits, two vehicles, furniture, jewelry, and equity in installment purchases.

Hontiveros listed a car loan of P897,890,000 under her liabilities.

She also disclosed being a stockholder in dive resort Planet Dive Inc., a member of Nueva Ecija-based New Rural Bank of San Leonardo Inc., and a director of La Lina Corp.

Hontiveros previously said she strongly supports and welcomes the removal of the ‘unjust, unconstitutional, and anti-people restrictions’ on access to public officials’ SALNs.

She was referring to rules imposed by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, which required notarized consent from officials, a court order for the release of a SALN in connection with a pending case, or if statements were needed by the Ombudsman’s field investigators for a fact-finding probe.

She added that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s decision to lift restrictions on SALNs is a positive step toward strengthening transparency and accountability in government.

‘The new rules should be applied equally to all public officials-from the highest to the lowest, past or present-even with reasonable limitations for personal or sensitive information and security,’ she said./mcm

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Capiz is urging residents to take precautions against leptospirosis and other waterborne diseases following days of heavy rains and flooding in several municipalities caused by Tropical Storm Ramil.

In Provincial Health Advisory No. 2 issued on Oct. 18, the PHO warned that prolonged exposure to contaminated floodwaters increases the risk of leptospirosis, acute gastroenteritis, and skin infections-particularly for those with cuts, wounds, or extended skin contact.

It reminded Capiznons that post-exposure prophylaxis for leptospirosis is available free at the nearest health facilities. Individuals exposed to floodwaters are strongly advised to seek immediate medical consultation for proper assessment and treatment.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ramon Alex Nolasco stressed that only licensed health professionals are authorized to prescribe antibiotics or provide prophylaxis, cautioning the public against self-medication to prevent drug resistance and complications.

To ensure safety, residents were advised to avoid wading in floodwaters or to wear boots if unavoidable and to wash feet and legs thoroughly with soap and clean water afterward.

The public is also encouraged to boil or chlorinate drinking water and maintain sanitation to prevent mosquito breeding and disease outbreaks.

The PHO also urged anyone who develops symptoms such as fever, body weakness, muscle pain, red eyes, or dark urine after exposure to seek immediate medical attention.

Governor Fredenil Castro approved the advisory, calling on Capiznons to remain calm, cautious, and proactive in protecting their health amid the current weather situation. /mcm

Those who wish to report nonfunctional ‘super health centers’ (SHC) in their area may now send relevant information to the Department of Health (DOH), which launched a platform for Citizen Participatory Audit on Monday.

To send a report, the public may download a form through the link www.doh.gov.ph/bantaysuperhealth, where they can input details such as the address of the SHC, as well as photos of the building containing a newspaper showing the current date.

Reports can then be sent to the DOH’s email at [email protected]. The agency assured that the identities of those who submit a report will remain confidential.

The public may send reports regarding idle health centers in their area, or if there are problems with the services that are being provided in these facilities, said the DOH.

The DOH said it will study each of the submissions and coordinate with the local government unit that oversees the health center included in the report.

According to the agency, there are 300 nonoperational SHCs in the country out of a total of 878 that were funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa noted that the majority of these nonfunctional SHCs, around 170, are located in Luzon.

On the other hand, 196 SHCs in the country were operational, 17 were partially operational, while 365 were still under construction as of Friday.

On Friday, Herbosa appeared before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the fact-finding body tasked with investigating anomalous government infrastructure projects, to submit a list of nonoperational SHCs.

Among the recommendations of the ICI was the creation of a Citizen Participatory Audit, noted the DOH.

Two girls were rescued from alleged sex trafficking in Tondo, Manila, the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP WCPC) said on Monday.

Police rescued the first of the two girls, a 14-year-old junior high school student, in Tondo on the evening of October 14, the WCPC noted in a statement.

The student ‘had reportedly been absent from class and had left their home for four days,’ the PNP explained.

‘[She] was allegedly engaging in sexual activities with an adult male and minor males in exchange for money and was frequently seen entering and leaving a hotel with an unidentified male companion,’ it added.

While assessing her, the 14-year-old student revealed that she knew of another girl, a 15-year-old, who was also ‘allegedly involved in similar exploitative activities,’ the WCPC said.

Police rescued the second girl also in Tondo on the evening of October 15.

The WCPC did not expound on the profiles of both girls nor of the males with whom the 14-year-old student engaged in sexual activities.

Both girls were brought to the WCPC office in Camp Crame, Quezon City for documentation.

They will be turned over to the Manila social welfare office for protective custody and assistance, the PNP added.

The Roxas City Council in Capiz province has declared the entire city under a state of calamity following days of heavy rains and widespread flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen).

The declaration was issued through Resolution No. 263-2025, approved during a special session on October 19, 2025, led by Vice Mayor Teresa Almalbis and attended by a majority of council members.

The resolution cited the storm’s heavy rains on Oct. 18, which triggered severe flooding in several barangays, damaged properties, agricultural areas, and infrastructure, and forced the evacuation of affected residents.

Earlier, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had passed Resolution No. 15, series of 2025, recommending a state of calamity due to the storm’s widespread damage.

The Rapid Disaster Assessment and Needs Analysis report detailed Ramil’s impact, noting destroyed homes, lost livelihoods, and damaged public facilities and roads, which hampered mobility and local operations.

Under Section 52(b) of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, local governments can declare a state of calamity to release emergency funds, impose price controls on basic goods, and expedite relief and recovery efforts. /mcm

When I arrived in the Philippines over a year ago, I was welcomed not only by the warmth of the people but also by a resilient economy brimming with potential. In the months since, I have had the privilege of visiting Metro Manila’s business districts, Cebu’s modern international airport, and Davao’s agribusiness communities. I look forward to travel even more in other parts of the country to discover similar stories of progress. Each visit has offered me a glimpse of the Philippines’ vast economic potential-a country that is poised to sustain a robust growth in the years ahead, driven by its young dynamic workforce, expanding middle class, and strategic location.

Over the years, the Philippines has become a key destination of European investments, a vital trading partner, and a steadfast ally in advancing sustainable development goals. In 2024, bilateral trade in goods between the European Union and the Philippines amounted to 16.8 billion euros. The EU was the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for 7 percent of the country’s total trade in goods. EU’s foreign direct investment stock in the Philippines amounted to 14.2 billion euros in 2024.

Building on this solid foundation and recognizing the potential and the size of the Philippine market, we have opened a new and exciting chapter in our bilateral economic relations with the resumption of the negotiations for an EU-Philippines bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last year- a decision jointly made by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reflecting a shared commitment to deepen our economic partnership.

The EU aims for an ambitious, balanced, and comprehensive FTA that translates economic progress into real opportunities for our peoples. It is our objective to create new market access opportunities on trade in goods, services and investment, and for government procurement. Beyond market access, we aim to establish clear and effective rules across all trade and investment-related areas in order to facilitate trade as well as to encourage more investments in both the EU and the Philippines.

The EU-Philippines FTA is also designed to cover new and emerging areas. For the EU, one key objective is the removal of obstacles to digital trade as well as trade in energy and raw materials thereby supporting the twin digital and green transitions. Through the FTA, the EU also aspires to promote sustainable development and ensure that economic growth is achieved responsibly through robust and enforceable disciplines on trade and sustainable development. This way, the FTA becomes an enabler of a more inclusive and sustainable future for both EU and the Philippines. These are areas where the EU and the Philippines are already working hand in hand.

Another important area in the FTA, where the Philippines has competitive strength, is Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The EU aims to protect IPR, including the recognition of geographical indications, to foster innovation and give recognition to unique goods from both Europe and the Philippines. In terms of timeline, our target is to conclude as swiftly as possible and ensure quality in the substance of the agreement.

While the EU-Philippines FTA negotiations are advancing, the Philippines continues to benefit from the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+)-a special incentive arrangement that grants zero percent tariffs on two-thirds of all EU product categories. As the Philippines would graduate to an upper middle-income status in the coming years, it would lose the GSP+ preferences after a transition period. The FTA would stand as an immediate relay if negotiations are completed. The GSP+ is more than a trade preference. It comes with requirements to implement core international conventions related to human rights, good governance, and sustainable development. The Philippines’ continued participation in the GSP+ scheme underpins the country’s commitment to uphold these shared values.

At the same time, the EU remains committed to supporting the Philippines through various cooperation initiatives that strengthen capacities in areas such as green transition and digitalization, which can empower Filipino companies to seize the opportunities that a future FTA brings.

The EU and the Philippines are not just trade and investment partners. We are partners in growth, sustainability, and in shaping a future that is more resilient and inclusive. Together, we can turn today’s momentum into tomorrow’s success. The FTA is more than an economic agreement-it is an investment in the shared prosperity of our peoples.

Massimo Santoro is the ambassador of the EU to the Philippines. Prior to joining the European External Action Service as head of office of the secretary general and head of policy coordination, he served as a national diplomat in the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU in Brussels, and was deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Italy in Belarus.

Senators Loren Legarda and Bam Aquino on Monday proposed on Monday an across-the-board cut in all infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026 in light of the systematic overpricing revealed by recent corruption scandals.

Legarda and Aquino floated the suggestion at a Senate subpanel on finance’s hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of the DPWH.

Legarda first brought up the matter, asking Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon if he and his team would consider it reasonable to implement a 25 to 30 percent across-the-board cut on all DPWH infrastructure line items.

Legarda said this could be a ‘temporary corrective measure’ in the 2026 budget, so that the 2027 funding would be more ‘scientific.’

‘It seems only right that the changes should not happen in 2027. It can’t wait because the people have already paid taxes, and those taxes are what we use for the infrastructure we’re going to build. If we say, ‘Well, we didn’t do that, it’s still for 2027′ – then I won’t be able to sign off on the 2026 General Appropriations Act if we don’t lower the prices of the line items,’ Legarda said in Filipino.

So this across-the-board move is a good indication that we are serious about reforming our budgetary process,’ she added.

Dizon admitted that some projects of the DPWH were indeed found to be overpriced by more than 20 percent, but instead of recommending an across-the-board budget cut, the DPWH chief said a targeted budget adjustment would be better.

‘Prices are different in the National Capital Region, different in Cebu, different in Palawan, and different in Mindoro. But clearly, there is overpricing. So what we are doing now is going through them one by one – examining each region individually to identify which items are overpriced,’ said Dizon.

Dizon said they are ‘going through the process already,’ adding that they would be announcing a recommendation in the next few weeks.

‘If you will allow us, maybe we can announce this once we are committee-ready. We’ve only been here for just a little over a month, but the team has already made immense progress in its effort and I think very soon we’ll be coming out with a – not just an across-the-board, but a region-by-region adjustment in the cost of materials throughout the country,’ said Dizon.

Later, when it was time for him to question the DPWH budget, Sen. Aquino said the across-the-board budget cut might be warranted if the Senate could not see changes in the agency in terms of addressing overpricing.

‘Because if there’s overpricing, we won’t be able to sign off in good conscience knowing that the design and cost of materials are overpriced. But since the budget isn’t due until December – and as you know, it usually reaches the third week of December – there’s still time,’ Aquino said in Filipino.

Aquino said he likewise told former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to resubmit their list of projects as well as their prices, particularly asking the ex-DPWH chief to fix overpriced projects because the Senate is ‘very open to accepting a resubmitted budget detailing all the projects’ it wants to do.

Now, Aquino made the same appeal to Dizon.

‘Let’s remove the fat. Let’s take out the overpriced items, let’s focus on the right projects, and let’s do the right thing. I know that’s not easy, but we have time. Now, if that can’t be done, I will support a 20 percent cut in the budget just to make sure that fat – the one used for parking, kickbacks, and all sorts of things – is gone,’ he said.

‘Let’s remove that. Let’s go for the real, actual prices of these projects, because that’s what the people truly deserve,’ he pointed out.