Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier has once again elevated Filipino leadership on the global stage after personally earning three of the 2025 Globee® Awards for Innovation – Golden Bridge Awards®’ most prestigious honors: Executive Achievement of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Maverick of the Year.

These accolades celebrate outstanding leadership, a career defined by sustained innovation, and fearless, unconventional thinking that drives transformative results. They underscore Lhuillier’s visionary approach, the international impact of his work, and his ability to develop innovative products, including the groundbreaking Cebuana Lhuillier Gold Bar, which has redefined financial accessibility for millions.

‘Winning these Globee awards is not just a personal honor but also a recognition of the power of innovation to transform industries and communities,’ said Lhuillier. ‘It reaffirms my belief that we must always move forward, embrace change, and continue building solutions that create meaningful impact for people.’

In addition to his Globee® triumph, Jean Henri Lhuillier also emerged as a multi-awardee at the 2025 Stevie® Awards, where he was honored with Executive of the Year – Diversified Services, Achievement in Growth, Achievement in Management – Financial Services, and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

These recognitions from two of the world’s most prestigious award-giving bodies stand as a testament to Lhuillier’s visionary leadership and relentless push for innovation. Many of Cebuana Lhuillier’s groundbreaking initiatives are his own brainchild-including the KaNegosyo Center, a suite of inclusive insurance products, the Cebuana Lhuillier Gold Bar, and the Money Guro financial literacy program. Each of these has redefined financial accessibility, empowered communities, and set new benchmarks for inclusive growth in the Philippines.

Beyond business and financial inclusion, Jean Henri Lhuillier’s numerous achievements extend to advocacies in sports and education, reflecting a broader commitment to nation-building and community empowerment. He is also known as the longtime president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) and Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP), where, under his two decades of leadership, the sport has been elevated to new heights-marked by historic international victories, strengthened grassroots programs, and the development of a solid infrastructure that nurtures athletes from beginner to elite levels. His consistent recognition across prestigious global award-giving bodies further affirms his place as one of the most dynamic and influential Filipino leaders of his generation.

With a rare combination of vision, innovation, and social purpose, Jean Henri Lhuillier continues to redefine leadership-not only driving success for Cebuana Lhuillier but also inspiring progress that resonates far beyond business, shaping industries, communities, and future generations.

‘True leadership is not only about results-it is about building a legacy, empowering others, and creating opportunities that will outlast us. Innovation and forward-thinking are at the heart of this vision. We must continue to push boundaries, explore new possibilities, and develop solutions that will shape the future for the next generation,’ Jean Henri Lhuillier concluded.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved 3,770 public works projects worth P214.4 billion from unprogrammed funds in 2023 and 2024, with majority going to ‘favored regions’ now being flagged for anomalous and ghost flood control projects.

This according to ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio, who said these findings directly contradicted Malacañang’s claims that the President had no role in infrastructure corruption issues.

‘To be able to fund nearly 4,000 projects from unprogrammed appropriations, the president would have had to approve them,’ he said during the plenary deliberations for the Department of Public Works and Highways’ proposed P881.3-billion budget for 2026.

He challenged Malacañang to explain the basis for the releases and to ‘stop washing its hands off the corruption allegations.’

Citing official data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the plenary deliberations for the Department of Public Highways’ (DPWH) 2026 budget, Tinio disclosed that the DPWH received P61.4 billion in unprogrammed funds in 2023 for 1,889 projects, and P153 billion in 2024 for 1,811 projects.

In 2023, the top regions that got the largest share in unprogrammed funds were: Central Luzon, with 283 projects worth P11.7 billion in total; Bicol with 138 projects worth P7.6 billion, and Central Visayas with 170 projects worth P7.2 billion. In 2024, Mimaropa got the lion’s share of unprogrammed funds with P29.4 billion for 201 projects, followed by Central Luzon again with P25 billion for 285 projects. Majority of the projects approved for these regions, Tinio added, were flood control projects.

‘These are interesting top three regions, as these are the ‘usual suspect’ regions now being mentioned in the flood control scandal now,’ Tinio noted, alluding to Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro provinces, which are now under scrutiny after officials discovered numerous ghost flood control projects there.

Several past and current lawmakers, particularly Senators Francis Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, and Nancy Binay; and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, are accused of receiving billions in kickbacks from projects in Bulacan.

Co, meanwhile, was founder of Sunwest Inc., the firm that implemented an anomalous P289.5 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. He is now facing graft, malversation and falsification charges over the project.

Tinio, however, emphasized that the President could not separate himself from the issue as unprogrammed funds-or standby authorizations that can only be tapped when new revenue or loans materialize-were within the discretion of the executive.

He cited Section 35, Chapter 5, Book 6 of Executive Order No. 292, which states that expenditures from lump sum appropriations ‘shall be made in accordance with a special budget to be approved by the President.’

This is not the first time that Tinio or other lawmakers have criticized the ballooning amount of unprogrammed appropriations under the Marcos administration, especially since these are lump-sum allocations that have no line items in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

This, Tinio stressed, has made them essentially invisible to public scrutiny-as demonstrated by the fact that no flood control project funded by unprogrammed funds were included in Malacañang’s Sumbong sa Pangulo transparency website for flood control projects.

To be able to fund infrastructure projects in this budget line, the DPWH regional and district engineering offices would have to submit requests for funding, which would be vetted by the agency’s planning services office.

The DPWH then submits a special budget request for release of funds to the DBM, which is the delegated authority by the Office of the President.

The DPWH’s sponsoring lawmaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo Momo Sr. said that the DPWH would soon release its own transparency server that would include these projects and possibly include the proponents of the project. /cb

The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) on Tuesday expressed alarm over what it described as a troubling use of media access as a form of censorship, following the temporary revocation of Spin.ph’s credentials by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).

In a strongly worded statement, the PSA condemned the September 23, 2025 decision of PNVF president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara to pull Spin.ph’s accreditation. Though the credentials were later restored, the group said the act itself should not have taken place.

‘The very fact that the press is barred, however briefly and inconsequentially-and for no justifiable reason-is unacceptable,’ the PSA said.

The association, which counts the country’s leading sports journalists among its members, announced a new policy in response. Moving forward, any sports official or organization that withholds or forfeits access to PSA members without due process and prior notice will be declared persona non grata.

‘Censorship does not always arrive as a law or an organizational rule. Sometimes it comes as a locked gate, a revoked pass, or an admonished question,’ the PSA said, warning that such actions amount to prior restraint and strike at the heart of press freedom.

To prevent abuse of the new rule, the PSA said it will provide continuous guidance to its members on fair and impartial reporting and form a committee to facilitate dialogue between journalists and sports officials in disputes over accreditation.

The group also noted the broader implications of the PNVF’s move, saying that even after Spin.ph’s credentials were reinstated, a ‘chilling effect lingers’ as journalists may now fear repercussions for critical reporting.

Quoting the 1987 Constitution’s guarantee of press freedom, the PSA emphasized that ‘no sports official or organization’ can override that protection.

‘We don’t ask for favors; we ask for fairness. We don’t seek permission to speak; we seek protection for our speech,’ the group said.

The statement closed with a vow that the PSA will continue covering sports ‘with the same vigor and fairness, respect and responsibility, commitment and passion’ but will not stand idle when press freedom is threatened.

Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III on Monday night accepted the resignation of Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co as a member of the House of Representatives, while an investigative body formed by Malacañang asked the Ombudsman to look into its recommended charges against the lawmaker and 17 others, including some officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In his letter to Dy on Monday informing the speaker of his ‘irrevocable resignation,’ Co cited ‘the real, direct, grave and imminent threat’ to him as well as ‘the lives of my family members.’

Amid the unraveling scandal over the government’s flood control projects, Co has been accused of getting billions of pesos in kickbacks by contractors and DPWH officials testifying in congressional inquiries into these projects.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a blue notice on Co.

The notice practically allows surveillance on the lawmaker, since it serves to advise Interpol’s member states to ‘collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.’

Co, in his letter, lamented ‘the evident denial of my right to due process of law.’

Posting on Facebook, he said that, as a lawmaker, he had tried to work in the best interest of each Filipino, especially his constituents in the Bicol region.

He said his party list group will soon inform the House about his replacement.

‘Voluntary renunciation’

Lawmakers like Co are allowed ‘voluntary renunciation’ of his or her office, under Article VI of the 1987 Constitution regarding the legislative department.

Dy told reporters on Monday night that he had accepted Co’s resignation, but the House leadership ‘needs to discuss how to address this properly.’

He also advised the resigned lawmaker, who has been on an extended medical leave, to return home and answer the ‘issues’ against him.

Also on Monday, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) asked the Office of the Ombudsman to study whether charges may be filed against Co and 17 other officials of the DPWH and officers of Sunwest Inc. over a substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.

Sunwest, which was cofounded by Co, was included in President Marcos’ list of 15 contractors that bagged most of the government’s flood control projects.

In its first interim report and recommendation submitted to the Ombudsman, the ICI cited deficiencies in the construction of a road dike along Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Barangay Tagumpay, Naujan town.

The project, funded through the 2024 General Appropriations Act, was implemented by the Mimaropa (Region 4-B, or Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) office of the DPWH.

According to the ICI, total disbursements for the project amounted to only P246.16 million-short of the estimated project cost by P43.3 million.

Among the ICI’s preliminary findings was that the materials used for the project ‘appear to be grossly substandard and not in line with required specifications.’

‘Discrepancy, losses’

The ICI noted further that when Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor inspected the project on Sept. 9, they found steel sheet piles used in the dike measuring 2.5 to 3 meters-less than the 12-meter-long sheet piles required in the approved plan for the project.

The ICI said ‘this discrepancy could potentially result in public losses estimated at over P63 million.’

The commission also found deficiencies in the project’s documentation, including progress billings, which ‘appear to have been paid despite the absence of material supporting documents.’

Moreover, documents such as Form No. 2307 and Form No. 2550M of the Bureau of Internal Revenue ‘do not appear to have been submitted by the contractor,’ Sunwest.

No certifications

The DPWH Mimaropa also failed to submit such documents as the certifications of clearance for the payment of labor, materials, equipment, and other costs, as well as certifications on quality control.

As the ICI noted, failure to submit these documents warrants administrative sanctions, based on the guidelines of the DPWH itself.

Progress photos depicting the construction of the dike ‘hardly justify or accurately depict the actual progress of the works,’ the commission said, adding that only two photographs were submitted for the first progress billing.

These consisted of ‘a dimly lit photograph of steel sheet piles and a photograph of workers supposedly engaged in ‘clearing and grubbing,” which was meant to show that 25 percent of the work had already been accomplished.

The ICI said further that what made the progress photos ‘all the more anomalous or suspect is that they were the very same photographs used in support of Progress Billing No. 2.’

‘Beneficial ownership’

Before the third progress billing, P35.134 million had been paid to Sunwest for supposedly completing 40 percent of the project, the ICI said.

The commission also said it had yet to receive any documents on the third progress billing, aside from photographs ‘concerning or justifying payment’ to the project.

The ICI identified Co as having ‘reportedly founded’ Sunwest in 1992, when the company was then called Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. (SCDC).

Although Co was said to have divested himself of SCDC in 2019, he ‘supposedly maintains ‘beneficial ownership’ in various entities linked to Sunwest,’ the ICI said, even as it noted that this finding still needed further validation.

The Ombudsman was also asked to consider if charges should be filed against Gerald Pacanan, former director of DPWH Mimaropa, and 16 other officials of the DPWH and officers of Sunwest, including company president Aderma Angelie Alcazar.

Possible charges include malversation and falsification under the Revised Penal Code and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Government Procurement Reform Act, and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees.

The ICI clarified that its findings remained preliminary ‘at this stage,’ adding that ‘it does not make categorical findings of guilt and responsibility for determining liability rests with the proper authorities.’ -With reports from Luisa Cabato, Zacarian Sarao, and Inquirer Research

Senator JV Ejercito was elected as the new Senate ethics committee chairperson.

This was announced by Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on the upper chamber’s floor on Tuesday.

According to Zubiri, Ejercito instructed the designation of Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan as the vice chairman of the committee.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros and Senator Erwin Tulfo are also named by Zubiri as members of the committee.

Prior to Ejercito’s election, Sen. Robin Padilla was being considered to be the next chairman of the committee, according to Sen. Joel Villanueva.

Hontiveros is facing a complaint lodged at the same committee for alleged disorderly behavior and ‘witness tampering.’

The complaint, filed before the Senate Secretary’s office by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and two others, enumerates Hontiveros’ alleged offenses including the recantation of a witness in an inquiry led by Hontiveros about purported ‘abuses’ in the premises of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ founded by detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.

The ethics body will be responsible for ‘all matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate and its members,’ according to the Senate website.