Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Another day, another issue when it comes to women’s sports in the Philippines. For those who may not have caught the development that happened near the end of September, a report revealed that the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was operating under a new payment structure for referees this season: referees working women’s games were reportedly paid only P2,000 per game, compared to P3,000 for the men’s collegiate division and P2,500 for the men’s juniors division.

These new rates are higher for men’s games, while the women’s games rate is P500 lower than the previous season.

Two prongs don’t make a right

For those who may not see what the issue is with that, it’s two-pronged. The first prong is, of course, that the UAAP management has found a way to undercut referees’ pay despite the league making what we can only assume is a lot of income from a glut of brand sponsors, ticket sales, and a solid TV deal. Refereeing is still a tough job that requires a lot of experience and knowledge of the game, no matter who’s playing it, which is why they deserve to be paid fairly.

Second, and the more important issue: Paying referees less to officiate women’s games essentially tells everyone that that side of the sport is less skill-intensive, therefore not requiring as much compensation, aside from the gender bias and double standards, of course. UAAP Commissioner Jai Reyes pretty much admits this in his statement after the controversy blew up, saying: ‘Mas mabilis ang laro sa lalaki, so mas mahirap siyang pituhan (Men’s games are faster, and so are harder to officiate).’

On his part, Reyes has also attempted to downplay the entire controversy by posting a photo with a smiling female referee, implying that they didn’t take any issue with his policy.

Women speaking up for women

Of course, we’re in 2025 and thankfully, a lot more people know better (especially with the recent rise of women’s basketball), so the backlash was swift.

Players and their coaches, who are actually in the trenches of these games, called it out. Senator Pia Cayetano, an athlete in her own right, has stated publicly that this new system is actually a violation of both the Magna Carta for women and local labor laws. Women’s rights and welfare partylist Gabriela, through Rep. Sarah Elago, reinforced the call for both paying referees right and valuing women’s sports properly.

Women’s sports advocacy group Go Hard Girls has even started a public petition to the Philippine Commission on Women to address the UAAP’s regressive policy.

‘This policy does more than reduce pay-it reinforces outdated stereotypes and undermines the legitimacy of women’s basketball,’ said Go Hard Girls founder Ceej Tantengco-Malolos in the letter. ‘It discourages referees from officiating women’s games, threatens the quality of competition, and signals to athletes that their games are less worthy of professional standards.

‘It communicates that women are second-class athletes in their own league, and that top-tier officiating is essential for men but optional for women. Furthermore, the implication that underperforming referees will be relegated to the women’s division and high-performing referees will be promoted to the men’s division poses a risk to the safety of the women athletes and the fairness of the games.’

‘Referees officiating women’s games undergo the same training, spend equal time in the arena, and are tasked with upholding the same standards of fairness and safety-yet are paid less. In an already challenging economy with rising costs of living, this is unacceptable.’

They deserve better

Women in the field are already thankful for the exposure and the petition.

‘On behalf of the Women’s Basketball Officials Association (WBOA), we sincerely thank you for raising this issue and for courageously standing up for gender equity in sports,’ says Ivy Rose Villar, a female referee with the WBOA, about the petition.

‘We can’t take one step forward with decisions that take three steps back,’ says Kitkat Torre, sportswriter and courtside reporter for the Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. ‘2025 is the year for our female referees, athletes, coaches, and members of the sports community to be given the credit they deserve.’

The good thing is that it’s pretty clear, even to the non-basketball or women’s sports fan, how damaging and backwards the mere pay reduction is. Of course, there are still those who aren’t caught up to speed in the 21st century, but I like that, for the most part, we don’t have to explain ad nauseam why this isn’t a good look.

If anything, that’s a glimmer of hope-even if it seems like the UAAP may not be budging on this (until real legal action is threatened).

There is a pattern here: shoot first, ask questions later. It is a mentality characteristic of the police, but they have no monopoly on it: politically speaking, even many of the well-intentioned indignant over corruption, subscribe to it, or at least, enjoy it.

Former Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, incidentally, all three once upon a time senior police generals, have thrilled at riding high in the public’s estimation, only to smear themselves against an immovable wall of institutionally acceptable conduct. The barrier is this: you really can bite off more than you can chew.

Torre, whatever his justifications might be, indulged in an act of insubordination too far; so did Magalong, who went from adviser to bloodhound after already being cautioned that his acceptance of a presidential task while retaining a local executive’s job (and his own enthusiastic acceptance of political backing from a senator being questioned over his public works record) represented conflicts of interest, no trivial matter for someone presenting himself as the incarnation of good governance; and where have you seen a Senate President Pro Tempore put his Senate President in peril in the manner Lacson did, by casting a wider and wider dragnet even as he inched forward on initial investigations?

In all three instances, their self-proclaimed aims of good governance could have been better-because longer- served-by their having a little more self-control, indulging in a little less grandstanding, and displaying a lot more situational awareness of those who are motivated by already being incriminated in crimes, ready to pounce the moment their tormentors made a mistake.

Of the three, it was Lacson who demonstrated that old habits truly die hard. ‘Gratuitous’ is the precise word to describe his tarring nearly all his colleagues with a wide brush, and ‘imprecise’ is the precise way Senate President Vicente Sotto III had to describe that effort at attributing guilt. Virtually all senators, he said, proposed amendments to the budget in open session, something that is every legislator’s job; but only a few made insertions to it behind closed doors in the small huddles comprising the bicameral conference committee-the scandal at hand.

Sen. JV Ejercito objected to being tarred, and by so doing, set off the alarm that a coup was in the works. Lacson fired off a letter-a formal tantrum-declaring not only his virtue but also his sulky resignation from the chairmanship of the blue ribbon committee. The adults in the room tried to soothe the wounded pride of their colleague.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan revealed, ‘My sense was and is that while there were some colleagues in the majority bloc who disagreed with earlier public pronouncements made by him, the matter had been threshed out and clarified by him in a majority caucus held last Wednesday, Oct. 1. No one in the majority bloc sought his replacement as blue ribbon committee chair,’ adding, ‘I appeal to Sen. Ping to stay on.’ Sotto remarked, ‘Sen. Lacson is frustrated; I will support whatever decision he makes.’

But whether Lacson relents-and it would be good if he did, because he does know how to conduct a thorough investigation-the damage has been done. He rashly painted a target on the entire institution, rending it-and Lacson and his committee-vulnerable because, if true, his accusations extinguished the legitimacy of the Senate.

Were alarmed senators to push through with their warning of a coup, it wouldn’t save their necks but rather paint vivid targets on their backs. On one hand, there would be greater public anger; on the other, it would add to the perception of the foul public mood as fostering adventurism among the original suspects: those already facing cases and fearing future cases, because of the many crimes they can be accused of when it comes to public funds. In a time of extremism-bloodcurdling romanticizing of the Nepal lynchings and burnings, outright sedition by retired officers, and constant rhetorical and social media escalation by the former regime wanting to accelerate the dawn of its own restoration-then the least extreme, because still constitutional, emergency measure not only becomes plausible but objectively necessary.

Recall: there is one official whose popularity is rising, and it’s the President. If the public sees no further utility in Congress and yet is alarmed by efforts of the investigated to shield themselves by inciting military coups and stoking the fires of sedition, no President would be able to resist the invitation to impose order through emergency rule.

Behind iron grills across the Philippines, sari-sari (variety) store owners pursue dreams that go far beyond their small storefronts.

For these micro-entrepreneurs, their modest shops represent something much larger: It’s a form of resilience that helps them weather economic uncertainty, so they can provide, first and foremost, for their families.

According to Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) recent ‘Heart of Hustle’ report, a survey of 3,098 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)-which make up 99.5 percent of all businesses in the country, including sari-sari stores, and employ over 60 percent of the workforce-paint a portrait of an economy driven by devotion to their loved ones.

The report, written by Julian Cua, Anthony Oundjian, Jamie Bawalan, Lance Katigbak, Anjeli Panis, Christabel Dewani and Julianne Ong, show that 64 percent of business owners say they started their enterprises to achieve financial independence for their families.

The rest were primarily driven by passion for their product or service (41 percent), and the need to be able to afford their children’s education (38 percent).

However, as much as small business owners strive to support their families, they themselves lack the system to thrive in their endeavors, the report reveals, as they face complex barriers that fall five under critical areas: access to financing, markets, tools, government support and labor.

When it comes to accessing capital, more than half of MSMEs (55 percent) have never applied for a loan, with 42 percent saying they’re afraid of going into debt. Another 34 percent cite high interest rates as a deterrent.

However, among those who did receive loan approvals, 59 percent secured interest rates between just 1 to 5 percent-far lower than many expected. This points to what the report calls ‘a deeper issue: accessibility is not the same as availability.’

Funding constaints

The financing challenge becomes more acute when viewed through the lens of business size. While 44 percent of MSMEs rely on personal savings as their main funding source, only 10 percent use bank loans as their primary capital source. The rest patch together funding from family, friends and increasingly, government programs.

Government support receives mixed reviews from MSMEs. While 84 percent want more and 77 percent feel able to comply with current regulations, satisfaction varies significantly by program type.

The data reveals high awareness but low participation in key DTI programs. Over 70 percent of MSMEs are familiar with initiatives like Negosyo Centers and Kapatid Mentor ME, but actual participation often falls below 20 percent. The reasons range from difficulty meeting requirements to uncertainty about program applicability.

More concerning is the labor law compliance gap. While 77 percent say they can comply with general business regulations, only 14 percent are registered with the Department of Labor and Employment. Understanding of labor-specific requirements-from termination pay (19 percent awareness) to occupational safety standards (29 percent awareness)-remains limited.

In today’s digitally connected world, 77 percent of MSMEs say they want to increase their use of such tools; however, only 20 percent report actually using more business software than they did a year ago. Just 16 percent use any digital tools at all. The barrier isn’t lack of interest-it’s perception of scale. A striking 74 percent of business owners say their business isn’t big enough to justify digital tools, while 50 percent simply lack the technical expertise to implement them.

This digital hesitancy comes with real costs. The report shows double-digit gaps between current usage and future demand for basic business tools like accounting software (11 percent current usage vs 60 percent desired), website management (13 percent vs 49 percent), and point-of-sale systems (21 percent vs 73 percent).

Know your MSMEs

The study also reveals that MSMEs have four distinct archetypes, each with unique motivations and pain points:

Manufacturers stand apart as the most passionate and growth-oriented segment. They’re more likely than other business types to cite passion for their product (54 percent) and desire to build something lasting. These businesses often emerge from craft, technical skill, or family trades. They employ more people on average and are more likely to operate through multiple channels, with 77 percent selling both online and offline.

Sari-sari Store Owners represent perhaps the most financially motivated segment. Their dreams center on family welfare.

These micro-retailers face the steepest barriers. Among all MSME groups, 57 percent cite limited financing as a top challenge-the highest rate across segments. Most operate with razor-thin margins, buying from local wholesalers at retail-adjacent prices while competing against larger stores and online platforms.

Wholesale and Trade Retailers emerge as commercial pragmatists driven by market opportunity rather than necessity or passion. They’re 8 percent more likely than other MSMEs to cite ‘seizing market opportunities’ as a primary motivation. However, they face intense competitive pressure, with 44 percent citing competition from cheaper products and 43 percent feeling squeezed by large enterprises.

Food Service Operators blend passion with financial necessity. Like manufacturers, they show strong emotional connection to their products-47 percent list passion as a key driver, the second-highest across all MSME types. Yet they operate in one of the most volatile sectors, with 51 percent citing high operating costs as a major challenge, higher than any other sector.

The report argues for a fundamental shift in how these MSMEs are perceived and supported: ‘MSMEs are often seen as ‘nice to have’-a sector worth celebrating, but not central to policy or national planning. That mindset has to shift.’

Their recommendations center on three core principles:

First, treat MSME support as economic infrastructure rather than social aid. With MSMEs representing 99 percent of all businesses and employing millions, investment in their growth should receive the same priority as roads, ports, or power grids.

Second, build pathways for informal entrepreneurs to gradually build credit. Rather than requiring formal prerequisites, create progressive systems that start with micro-limits and increase with demonstrated performance.

Third, recognize that MSMEs aren’t simply scaled-down versions of large enterprises. They operate in fundamentally different ways-with different time horizons, decision cycles, and resource constraints. Support systems must be designed from their reality upward, not corporate models downward.

As Secretary of Trade and Industry Ma. Cristina A. Roque writes in the report’s foreword: ‘MSMEs are not just economic actors, but also individuals with goals, constraints, and a deep desire to grow.’ Ultimately, the question isn’t whether Filipino MSMEs have the heart to hustle-the data shows that they clearly do. The question is whether the systems around them will rise to match their determination. Because if starting a business remains one of Filipinos’ top dreams, then supporting MSMEs should be a national imperative.

National University avoided a two-game losing streak after rallying past Adamson, 56-54, on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena.

Coach Jeff Napa and company bounced back after a 66-59 loss to University of the Philippines last Saturday that ended their unbeaten start.

Jake Figueroa pushed the pace for NU with 17 points, three assists, two rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the win that sent the Bulldogs to a 4-1 record. ‘This (win) wasn’t on me. This is because of the players,’ coach Jeff Napa said.

‘I credit them. Our defense was nice. We couldn’t shoot. I tip my hats off to them, they gave it all. The players did this, not me,’ he added.

The Soaring Falcons led by as much as 11 points at the five-minute mark of the final period, 52-41.

The Bulldogs, however, answered with a. defensive and offensive masterclass, ending the game with a blazing 15-2 run to secure the victory.

Cedrick Manzano spearheaded Adamson, which dropped to 1-4, with 16 points and four rebounds, but to no avail.

More than 9,000 aftershocks have been recorded following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Northern Cebu, the state seismologist reported on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

In its 10 a.m. update, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported a total of 9,108 aftershocks, of which 1,666 have been plotted and 38 were felt.

The tremors ranged in magnitude from 1.0 to 5.1.

The agency also confirmed a coastal uplift in Barangay Nailon, Bogo City, where the shoreline rose by about a meter. Phivolcs observed exposed tidal flats, raised tidal notches, and elevated high-tide markers, which they attribute to movement along the Bogo Bay Fault.

The 6.9 quake has left at least 72 people dead, more than 550 injured, and affected around 611,000 residents across Northern Cebu, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. /mcm

Survivors of the Oct. 2 fire in Barangay 17 here prepare meals and sort through donated clothes under the Maharlika Bridge on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

The families, displaced after a fire gutted dozens of houses last week, have found temporary refuge beneath the bridge as they await relocation assistance from the city government.

The City Mayor’s Office on Monday, October 6, distributed the first batch of donations collected under the ‘Tabang Kauban’ drive to fire victims in Barangay 17. Chief of Staff Sheila Lumbatan and Secretary to the Mayor Xysclyn Faith Lumbatan led the distribution, assisted by acting City Information Officer Jade Adeser and other City Hall personnel.

The team handed the donations to Barangay 17 chairperson Anthony Atterviry at the evacuation site.

The donation drive gathered rice, pre-loved clothes, blankets, hygiene kits, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, ready-to-eat meals, flashlights, first-aid kits, and pillows for affected residents. ‘We’re deeply thankful to everyone who has extended help,’ Sheila Lumbatan said. She added: ‘This first wave of donations shows the strong spirit of community and solidarity among Kagay-anons.’

The City Mayor’s Office continues to collect donations at the City Hall mini-park from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Donors are encouraged to give school supplies, handheld fans, brand-new underwear, slippers, diapers, and children’s food, which officials said are still lacking at the evacuation site.

According to the City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWD), at least 279 residents were affected by the fire. Mayor Rolando Uy assured that the city government, through CSWD, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, and the City Mayor’s Office, is doing everything to provide continued assistance.

‘Our priority is to help the families get back on their feet as soon as possible. We will not stop until every affected household receives the support they need,’ Uy said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday unveiled eight new Petroleum Service Contracts (PSCs) for oil exploration areas in different parts of the country, which the government said would pave the way to accelerate domestic energy exploration and production.

The eight contracts – covering exploration areas across the Sulu Sea, Cagayan, Cebu, Northwest Palawan, East Palawan, and Central Luzon – are the largest batch of PSCs awarded in a single period in the country’s history.

‘These service contracts represent our continued efforts to attain greater energy security, and therefore, economic stability, and self-reliance,’ Marcos said during the presentation of the PSCs at Malacañang.

Collectively, the contracts represent a potential investment commitment of around $207 million (around P12 billion) over a seven-year exploration period.

The new contracts also include the world’s first competitive bid round for native hydrogen – a clean, zero-carbon source of energy which the President said to be ‘[holding] immense promise for our country and for the world’ – alongside co-managed petroleum projects with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

‘Consequently, these efforts will capture the interest of more international partners to invest in our country and to join our quest to discover new indigenous resources,’ Marcos said.

‘But, with every partnership comes a greater challenge: to ensure that progress is achieved with integrity, responsibility, and with respect for our people,’ he added. In a statement, the Department of Energy (DOE) said all the eight PSCs have undergone a transparent and competitive selection process under the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP).

It ensured that exploration rights were granted to legally, financially and technically qualified proponents. PSC Nos. 80 and 81 were awarded to a consortium composed of Australia-based Triangle Energy (Global) Ltd., United Kingdom-registered Sunda Energy Plc; and local firms PXP Energy Corp. and The Philodrill Corp.

Co-managed by the DOE and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM-MENRE), these service contracts aim to revitalize petroleum exploration in the southern Sulu Sea, generating new economic and employment opportunities for communities across BARMM and Mindanao. PSC 80 covers approximately 780,000 hectares, while PSC 81 spans about 532,000 ha.

PSC No. 82 located in Cagayan basin and has an area of 480,000 ha was awarded to Triangle Energy (Global) Ltd.

PSC Nos. 83 and 84, both for native hydrogen exploration in Central Luzon, were awarded to United States-based Koloma Inc. SC 83 covers 126,645 hectares while SC 84 covers 85,082 ha.

PSC No. 85, covering 127,475 ha in onshore Cebu, was awarded to Gas 2 Grid Pte. Ltd.

PSC No. 86, awarded to a consortium of Filipino companies composed of The Philodrill Corporation, Anglo Philippine Holdings Corp., PXP Energy Corp., and Forum Energy Philippines Corp., covers 132,000 ha in the Northwest Palawan Basin.

PSC No. 87, located in the East Palawan Basin, was awarded to Ratio Petroleum Ltd. of Israel. This is the company’s second petroleum service contract in the country, following PSC 78, also situated in the East Palawan Basin.

No China interference

In a message to reporters, Energy Secretary Janette Garin said they were not expecting interference from China, especially on PSC 86, which is located offshore west of Palawan in the West Philippine Sea.

‘But all projects are well coordinated with the DND (Department of National Defense), whether near the disputed areas or not,’ she added.

As of Wednesday, service contractors may now commence their respective activities, including geological and geophysical surveys such as seismic and aeromagnetic studies to identify drillable prospects, with the potential to discover both native hydrogen reservoirs and new petroleum fields.

Marcos encouraged the service contractors to turn their investments into ‘engines of progress.’

‘Operate with accountability, with respect for the environment, and fairness towards the communities that host your operations,’ the President said.

‘Let us prove that responsible enterprise and national development can go hand-in-hand – that growth built on transparency and responsibility is growth that will last,’ he added. Service contractors will fund and undertake educational scholarships, capacity-building, and community development programs even during the early exploration phase, according to DOE.

Once production begins, host communities will further benefit through infrastructure development, social programs, and local employment opportunities generated by these projects.

According to the DOE, the eight PSCs reflect the renewed investor confidence in the Philippine upstream energy sector, opening for new gas exploration initiatives amid the decline of the Malampaya Gas Field. The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, the country’s first and only indigenous gas resource, currently supplies about 40 percent of Luzon’s electricity needs. It was commissioned in 2001, but is expected to be commercially depleted by 2027 with its supply expected to dwindle starting in 2024.

In May 2023, Marcos signed the Renewal Agreement of Service Contract No. 38 (SC 38), which allows the continued extraction of natural gas from a portion of the Malampaya gas field until February 2039.The $893-million project involves drilling two new deep water wells, Camago-3 and Malampaya East-1, along with Bagong Pag-asa-1, a new exploration field.

Drilling operations operations under the Malampaya Phase 4 Project started by end-June. The government expressed optimism in finding more gas reserves at Malampaya, with the project’s timely deployment for drilling to help in attaining the goal of delivering ‘first gas’ by the fourth quarter of 2026.

Defending champion National University rolled past Adamson, 69-51, for its second straight victory in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball tournament Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Coming off a 95-58 rout of University of the Philippines, the Lady Bulldogs imposed control early behind Ann Pingol and Tin Cayabyab to build a 43-23 halftime lead-a cushion Adamson couldn’t erase.

The win pushed NU to solo third with a 3-1 record at the halfway mark of the first round.

‘We’re happy with the win, but this is probably not our best game,’ said NU coach DA Olan, whose team was outrebounded, 56-43. ‘There’s still a lot of room for improvement, especially in controlling the boards. We struggled again in that area.’

Adamson tried to rally in the third quarter behind Elaine Etang and Kem Adeshina, trimming the gap to 50-37. But Marga Villanueva buried back-to-back triples to restore a 19-point lead at 56-37.

The Lady Falcons made another push in the fourth before NU answered with three consecutive treys from Aloha Betanio, Marylene Solis, and Cayabyab to seal the win.

Pingol led NU with 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks. Cayabyab added 13 points and six rebounds, while Villanueva chipped in 11.

Etang paced Adamson with 13 points, five rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Cheska Apag added 10 points as the Lady Falcons slipped to 1-3.

NU faces De La Salle University next on Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, while Adamson meets University of the East on Saturday at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym.

Geneva Cruz shed tears of joy as she celebrated the engagement of her son Heaven Arespacochaga to his girlfriend Adi Escobar.

Through her Instagram page on Sunday, Oct. 5, the celebrity mom showed moments from when Heaven popped the question in an outdoor setting in California in the United States.

‘Son, I always knew you would find your other half, someone who truly understands and loves you through all of life’s ups and downs. But I wasn’t prepared for the flood of emotions I felt when you sent me the video of your engagement,’ Cruz said in the caption.

‘Thank you, anak, for trusting me with your deepest feelings and plans – from the moment you told me about meeting a wonderful girl while I was in Balesin Island a few years ago, to when you designed this beautiful ring,’ she continued.

Cruz praised Heaven for his loving nature, expressing delight over how they have kept their closeness as mother and son.

‘I believe I have done my best as your mother, as our bond has remained strong despite all the challenges we’ve faced, and I am truly grateful for that,’ she added.

Cruz then addressed Escobar and looked forward to the life the latter will share with Heaven.

‘Adi, thank you for loving my son wholeheartedly. I welcomed you into the family long ago, so that’s nothing new. However, I look forward to meeting your family and seeing you and my son Heaven, soon,’ the actress wrote. ‘I love you both, and congratulations again on the engagement.’

Heaven is Cruz’s son with her former husband, musician Paco Arespacochaga. The actress has another child, a daughter named London, with her ex-fiance, Filipino-Australian Lee Paulsen.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure expanding the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System, aimed at further strengthening its governance and management.

Republic Act No. 12310, signed on October 3, seeks to establish ‘strategically accessible PSHS campuses’ that can provide scholarship-based secondary education programs with special emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for students with exceptional proficiency in science and mathematics.

The law will also consolidate existing and future campuses under a unified system of governance to ensure consistent quality standards, efficient operations, and the holistic development of students and school staff.

‘The PSHS System shall be composed of the existing PSHS campuses and the future campuses that shall be established pursuant to this Act,’ it read.

‘A new Philippine Science High School campus in the Negros Island Region shall also be established,’ it added.

The law also mandates the creation of a Board of Trustees headed by the Secretary of Science and Technology as ex officio chairperson, and the Secretary of Education as ex officio vice chairperson.

The PSHS System, meanwhile, shall be headed by an executive director who shall exercise academic and administrative supervision over all campuses.

He or she shall be appointed by the Board for a term of six years and may be reappointed for another six-year term.