Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

In a big win for clean and renewable energy in Mindanao, an electricity-intensive business operation here has shifted to geothermal power to run its facilities.

According to Donna Robles, chief operating officer of Mets Cold Storage Services, Inc., they have recently entered into an agreement with Energy Development Corp., a subsidiary of Lopez-owned First Gen, to supply its cold storage facility in Barangay Tablon here with geothermal energy.

The supply agreement, signed last October 3, covers up to 2,050 kilowatts of power for Mets’ expanding facility here, which currently offers more than 7,100 metric tons of cold storage capacity.

‘We are pleased to partner with First Gen to reduce the energy intensity of our cold storage operations,’ Robles said in a statement. The geothermal power will be wheeled from EDC’s Mt. Apo geothermal power plant in Cotabato province.

Robles said Mets’ tapping of renewable energy marks a major step toward greener operations.

Article continues after this advertisement

‘This move will reduce not just our energy cost but our carbon footprint as well, while providing a stable power supply,’ Robles pointed out.

Arlene Sy-Soriano, assistant vice president and head of sales and engagement at First Gen, said the partnership aligns with both companies’ sustainability goals.

‘Cold storage is critical for ensuring safety and sanitation across the food and pharmaceutical supply chains,’ she said. ‘We are committed to partnering with Mets to ensure they can power their cold storage operations sustainably with a steady supply of renewable energy.’

Large power customers have the option to source supply directly from generators, as provided under the open access provision of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommended Thursday that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) halve the contract threshold amounts that regional and district engineering offices should enter into in infrastructure projects.

In a letter signed by ICI Chair Andres Reyes, the fact-finding body urged DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to lower the ceiling for letters of authority (LOA) in public works bidding to P200 million from P400 million for regional engineering offices and to P75 million from P150 million for district engineering offices.

The original threshold for the LOAs, the ICI noted, was raised during the tenure of Dizon’s predecessor, former Public Works chief Manuel Bonoan.

‘In the course of the continuing investigation of this Commission in relation to anomalous flood control projects and corruption within the DPWH, it has come to our attention that the LOA for the procurement of civil works that [was] previously allowed by former Secretary Bonoan should be decreased by at least half,’ read the letter.

For many Filipino households, purchasing maintenance medications for conditions like heart disease and diabetes takes up a large portion of their monthly income. This heartbreaking reality often forces low-income families to choose between their medications and a kilo of rice.

In many countries, their national health insurance provides automatic and on-the-spot discounts at pharmacies. Patients simply present their health card and receive their medicines at a reduced cost with no extra steps. During my educational visit to Taiwan last month, I came across a community pharmacy displaying the National Health Insurance signage outside of the pharmacy, much like the equivalent of PhilHealth signage that we see outside of accredited hospitals and other health facilities. This indicates that their NHI is integrated in the drugstore system, allowing patients to purchase medications with just a small co-payment. Unfortunately here in the Philippines, this level of convenience, automation, and accessibility at neighborhood pharmacies continues to be a challenge.

The government’s P20,000 yearly free medicine program through the eGov PH App was launched to fill this gap. As of this writing, it covers 75 essential medicines and aims to reduce out-of-pocket spending. On paper, it is a game changer. But in reality, it remains too inconvenient and complicated for most Filipinos to use. To access the benefit, one must register with the PhilHealth Yakap program, select an accredited hospital or health facility online, get a Yakap-accredited doctor to issue a prescription, then go to an accredited pharmacy or Gamot facility to claim the medicine.

Currently, only a limited number of pharmacies nationwide are participating. As of now, the only major drugstore chain in the list that I find well-known is Generika Drugstore. That means that most Filipinos still cannot simply walk into their neighborhood pharmacy and use their benefit. This is understandable since the program is still at its infancy, and the Philippine government has always been weak and slow when it comes to implementation.

Another problem is the long-term sustainability of the program. While pharmacies may want to participate, they see lower revenue from discounted medicines, especially when the list of reimbursable items is limited, restricting the volume of eligible sales. Worse, pharmacies may face delayed reimbursements, which is a problem already widespread in PhilHealth’s hospital system. Hospitals often wait months or years to be paid. If pharmacies go through the same, many small drugstores may not survive the cash flow hit, especially when they are already providing discounts up front. In the long run, this could discourage pharmacies from continuing their participation, eventually disrupting the program’s purpose.

PhilHealth must step up the game and prioritize serving the Filipino people rather than allowing corruption and the misuse of billions in public funds to persist. PhilHealth must adopt a real-time digital deduction and reimbursement system. PhilHealth could create a prepaid digital health wallet or QR code system that deducts the cost of medicines instantly and settle payments with pharmacies on a regular weekly or biweekly basis.

On the other hand, while there are over-the-counter medicines in the list of 75 medicines such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, and iron supplements, they still require a Yakap prescription from a doctor and must be claimed at an accredited Gamot facility. This makes accessibility more difficult than simply buying them at a nearby pharmacy. In reality, patients will simply use their personal money than go through these extra steps for items that should be readily available.

Additionally, there are medicines or health-care products that are not found in the current list that patients may need. This will lead to patients not fully using their P20,000 allocation.

This is why I propose that any unutilized or underutilized portion of the P20,000 allocation should be allowed to cover basic health and hygiene essentials such as multivitamins, soap, toothpaste, alcohol, wound care items, feminine products (especially sanitary napkin), and everyday relief preparations like Efficascent Oil, Vicks, or Katinko, which are all available in pharmacies. These are not luxuries, they are necessities that many low-income families still forgo due to cost.

The Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act No. 11223) already gives PhilHealth the mandate to improve access to medicines. But good policy must be backed by good systems.

Let us expand the Yakap program. Let’s simplify the availment process. Let us make deductions and reimbursements automatic and transparent.

Most importantly, let us bring this benefit closer to the people, starting with the community pharmacy just around the corner.

Teresa May Bandiola is an academic pharmacist, YA author, medical activitist, and podcast host. Her work bridges science, literature, and public discourse.

To address a regional housing backlog of 40,000 units, Baguio developers have urged the government to tap land in neighboring towns of Benguet province instead of within the city for new low-cost settlements.

The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations (Creba) said utilizing land outside Baguio would help developers compensate for the city’s shortfall in providing homes to 28,123 residents who lack titled properties, live with extended families in cramped spaces, or have been displaced by disasters, based on a 2016 inventory.

The issue was discussed during a briefing this week organized by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Antoinette Anaban, DHSUD Cordillera director, proposed tapping into BLISTT an acronym for Baguio and its neighboring Benguet towns La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay.

Relocation

BLISTT was formerly an economic collaboration now granted metropolitan status by Republic Act No. 11932 and governed by the Metropolitan Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay Development Authority (MBLISTTDA) modeled after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Emmanuel Clemente, Creba president for Baguio and Benguet, said the BLISTT municipalities could identify suitable areas for housing and license the private sector to develop projects there.

The BLISTT concept (originally BLIST without Tublay) was conceived by the late city architect Joseph Alabanza and his staff at the former National Economic Development Authority (Neda) as a strategy to salvage potential investments by relocating them to Baguio’s neighboring towns after the devastating Luzon earthquake on July 16, 1990.

Urban planners from the European Union later reinforced this idea, envisioning a new Baguio metropolis that would relocate major industries and build residential suburbs in adjoining Benguet towns. This would improve local economies while easing urban pressures in Baguio, such as overdevelopment and overpopulation.

However, the plan was initially met with resistance from Baguio’s neighbors, who were reluctant to play subordinate roles.

Decades later, BLISTT (with Tublay included) was formed as a loose mutual assistance group among local governments.

In 2019, the Cordillera office of Neda (now the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, or DepDev) commissioned an urban carrying capacity study for Baguio.

The study found that most resources water, forest cover, roads, and land had already reached unsustainable thresholds for the city’s current population, with land availability for development maxed out since 2015.

Real estate prices in Baguio also pose challenges, said Ramon Tagle, Creba Baguio-Benguet chair, making social housing projects prohibitively expensive. Some prime properties in downtown Session Road reportedly sold for as much as P250,000 per square meter, according to old tax maps.

Tagle also highlighted environmental concerns with relocating to Benguet towns, such as vulnerability to landslides worsened by climate change.

Baguio has shifted some social housing projects to the outskirts, with developments like Luna Terraces in Barangay Irisan and newly purchased land in Tuba for future housing, Anaban said.

The latest housing backlog in Baguio has reportedly decreased to 16,000 as of 2025.

No natural calamity has interrupted the ceremonies of the 2025 Miss Asia Pacific International pageant this time around, and the crown found its rightful owner in Isabela Fernandes of Brazil.

More than a week after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake halted the pageant’s Benefit Gala Night, the final competition show went smoothly at the Cebu Coliseum on Wednesday evening, Oct. 8.

The new queen bested 42 other aspirants to succeed 2024 winner Janelis Leyba, who unfortunately was not on hand to crown her. The Dominican-American queen had flown back to her home in the United States a day after the earthquake because of trauma.

But 2018 winner Sharifa Akeel-Mangudadatu gladly accepted the duty of crowning the new winner. She was also a member of the board of judges.

Four ladies joined the new queen in the final round, and made up her court first runner-up Anita Rose Gomez of the Philippines, second runner-up Bowonrat Maneerat of Thailand, third runner-up Jana Janssens of Belgium, and fourth runner-up Delilah Elmira Wildeboer of Netherlands.

Gomez, a lass from Zambales, came short of her bid to claim the country’s sixth Miss Asia Pacific International crown, although she was an early favorite after winning the Best in Swimsuit and first runner-up in the evening gown competitions. Her response to the question-and-answer portion made a reference to the recent calamity that was also witnessed by other delegates.

The ladies who advanced to semifinals competed in the swimsuit and evening gown segments. Then, the Top 10 underwent the grueling question-and-answer round to fight for slots in the Final Five.

The five ladies who made it to the final round then took turns in answering the final question to stake their claim to the crown: ‘When the fires of transformation dies down, and only the embers remain, what will continue to make your story burning bright?’

Fernandes’s winning answer, as translated: ‘Surely, I am here tonight for a purpose. The fire of transformation starts when we know who we are and where we want to arrive. I have a thing to say to you all: the journey of transformation never ends and we live in transformation every day.’

This year’s edition of the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant realigned the delegates’ activities after the earthquake, in solidarity with those severely affected by the tremor.

The ladies took part in relief operations, joining in the packing of goods, and personally distributing aid to those affected by the earthquake in the towns of Daanbantyan, Medellin, and San Remigio in northern Cebu.

A moment of silence during the coronation program was dedicated for the victims of the earthquake, and in solidarity with those heavily impacted by the tremor.

The members of the pageant’s board or directors and executive committee also handed tokens of appreciation to the delegates, glass lanterns with fairy lights inside, to symbolize their love, resilience, and rebirth.

Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin found no excuses for his team’s collapse in the 83-69 loss to University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday.

The Blue Eagles saw their four-game winning streak snapped with Baldwin saying his team couldn’t execute a way to stop a well-prepared Fighting Maroons side.

‘There wasn’t a letdown, just a lack of execution of the game plan,’ he said at Mall of Asia. ‘I went into the dugout at half time and I was wondering, did they really prepare well for us?’

After holding a slim cushion at the half, 40-38, UP took advantage of Ateneo’s problems in the second half with Harold Alarcon in the driver’s seat.

UP FIghting Maroons’ Harold Alarcon during a game against Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

‘I think Harold just got on a run and those coaches rode that a little bit. We didn’t answer the call. The adjustments we made weren’t effective and you saw a really good UP team in the second half,’ Baldwin said.

Alarcon ended up with 17 points, five assists and four rebounds to break the Blue Eagles’ four-game win streak.

Ateneo allowed UP to score 24 points in the third quarter, which proved to be the runaway for the Fighting Maroons.

The same pattern happened in the Blue Eagles’ close 81-74 win over La Salle.

After leading by as much as 31 points, Ateneo gave up 36 fourth-quarter points to the Green Archers and nearly blew the game.

Ateneo survived that second-half meltdown, but wasn’t able to pull off the same feat against UP.

‘I don’t think it’s a letdown on our part. It was just UP elevating their game while we were still lacking composure without discipline,’ Baldwin said.

The Blue Eagles look to reclaim their winning ways on Saturday when they take on University of Santo Tomas in their own backyard at Loyola Heights.

MANILA, Philippines – Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Francis Lim on Thursday apologized for an earlier statement saying recent corruption issues had caused a P1.7-trillion wipeout in market value of publicly listed companies.

‘I deeply regret any confusion or concern that my statement may have caused,’ Lim said in a statement. ‘My sole intent was to underscore the vital importance of integrity in our markets and the devastating impact corruption can have on investor confidence.’ Lim was referring to statements he made before the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines on Oct. 7.

He admitted that the figure was ‘based on what I believed at the time to be a credible industry report,’ admitting he had learned the report was ‘fictitious.’

Despite this, he said the SEC remained ‘firmly committed to promoting transparency, good governance and investor protection.’

In his speech, Lim was referring to the apparent market valuation decline from Aug. 11 to Aug. 29. But the Philippine Stock Exchange said in a separate statement on Thursday night only P185 billion in market capitalization was lost during the three-week period.’

That being said, SEC Chair Francis Ed. Lim is correct in assailing the level of corruption in the country, and its adverse effects on the economy and financial markets,’ PSE president and CEO Ramon Monzon said.

Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima recalled her harrowing experience while in detention at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center – where she became a victim in a case of hostage-taking – saying she will forever be thankful for the prayers and support she received.

In a statement on Thursday, De Lima said the hostage-taking incident occurred three years ago – a near-death experience she thought she would not survive.

‘Three years ago today, I faced a near-death hostage-taking – a harrowing experience I didn’t think I would survive, as the hostage-taker was already determined to kill me and then to kill himself after. Sa puntong ‘yon, ipinagpasa-Diyos ko na ang lahat,’ de Lima said.

‘I thank God for saving my life. Laking pasasalamat ko rin sa PNP security force na sumagip sa aking buhay,’ she added.

According to de Lima, this incident makes her even more committed to public service and making the most out of this opportunity.

‘As I value life even more now, I have become even more deeply committed to using this blessing from the Lord as an opportunity to make the most of it – for my loved ones, for the Filipino people and for humanity,’ she said.

‘Habambuhay rin po akong magpapasalamat sa inyong suporta, malasakit at pagdarasal: mula nang magsimula akong maglingkod sa pamahalaan, sa pinakamabigat na pagsubok ng aking buhay, hanggang ngayon na muli po ninyo akong binigyan ng pagkakataong makapagsilbi sa bayan. Tuloy ang laban. Hindi ko po kailanman sasayangin ang inyong tiwala,’ she added.

Article continues after this advertisement

De Lima, who was detained at the PNP Custodial Center until November 2023, was taken hostage in October 202 by detainee Feliciano Sulayao Jr., who along with his three other fellow inmates tried to escape the facility.

Sulayao and inmates Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan ganged up and stabbed an officer. Another officer saw the incident and shot Cabintoy and Susukan.

After this, reports said Sulayao ran towards de Lima’s cell, holding her hostage. As negotiations between the officers and the hostage-taker appear to fail, police were then forced to neutralize the suspect, saving de Lima. The former senator, a staunch critic of the past administration, said that she felt that she was going to die because Sulayao told her that since his companions were dead, he might as well die in the custodial center and take de Lima with him. De Lima did not suffer any wounds except from the chest pains and a knife mark as the hostage-taker apparently pressed the knife against her chest.

A bill that requires the creation and regular updating of hazard maps will complement the recently signed Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act, as it will allow the government to assess and prepare for calamities, Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said.

Yamsuan, in a statement on Tuesday, said that House Bill No. 4035, or the proposed National Multi-Hazard Mapping Act, aims to produce different hazard maps for every city and municipality in the country, and eventually integrate these into disaster risk reduction efforts and local development planning.

If enacted, this will help government agencies decide and act better whether there is a need to declare a state of imminent disaster, in accordance with Republic Act No. 12287, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently signed. ‘While disasters cannot be prevented, it is possible to mitigate their impact by understanding their behavior and adopting science-based and data-driven strategies. One such approach is hazard mapping,’ Yamsuan said.

`Multi-hazard maps’

‘Multi-hazard maps would provide our DRRM (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) councils with effective tools in implementing the Declaration of Imminent Disaster Law. On top of being helpful for land use planning, these maps would aid the DRRM councils in pinpointing the most vulnerable areas where preemptive action should be urgently carried out to help save lives and reduce losses before a calamity strikes,’ he added. If HB No. 4035 is enacted, the following agencies will be tasked to conduct hazard mapping for each locale:

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

National Mapping and Resources Information Authority (Namria)

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)

Climate Change Commission (CCC)

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)

local government units (LGU)

‘The term ‘multi-hazard map’ as used in this Act shall refer to a map that identifies the vulnerabilities of each LGU to threats, such as but not limited to landslides, flooding, sea level rise, storm surges, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes,’ the bill stated.

‘The multi-hazard maps shall be updated by the DENR, in coordination with the concerned LGU, every three (3) years,’ it added.

Under the bill, the DENR will be in charge of maintaining a national registry of multi-hazard maps.

‘To ensure the effective use of the multi-hazard maps, the DENR, in coordination with NAMRIA, DOST, PhilSA, CCC, NDRRMC, and other relevant agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan to ensure their accessibility and proper use across the country,’ he said.

‘This plan shall include, but not be limited to a nationwide information drive, training programs for local officials, disaster response teams, and community leaders, and other similar efforts,’ he added. According to Yamsuan, the bill aims to build on what the Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) has achieved in identifying areas that would be affected by natural disasters.

At least 421 flood control works were found to be ‘ghost projects’ out of the 8,000 inspected nationwide, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday.

He made the remark during a press conference following a meeting with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) at its office in Taguig City.

ICI recommends to cut by half DPWH contract amounts for infra works

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommended Thursday that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) halve the contract threshold amounts that regional and district engineering offices should enter into in infrastructure projects.

In a letter signed by ICI Chair Andres Reyes, the fact-finding body urged DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to lower the ceiling for letters of authority (LOA) in public works bidding to P200 million from P400 million for regional engineering offices and to P75 million from P150 million for district engineering offices.

Remulla takes oath as ombudsman

Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla took his oath as ombudsman on Thursday.

He was sworn in by Acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen at the Supreme Court in Manila.

CDN Digital still top regional news website – SimilarWeb

CDN (Cebu Daily News) Digital has maintained its lead as the most visited local news website in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, based on the latest data from web analytics platform SimilarWeb covering January to August 2025.

According to SimilarWeb, CDN Digital logged a total of 4.457 million visits during the eight-month period, topping other regional news outlets and lifestyle sites, including SunStar Cebu (3.489 million), The Freeman (1.338 million), and Sugbo.ph (400,510).