Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Police arrested a 32-year-old farmer during a search warrant operation in Barangay Cadacad in Narvacan town in this province on Sunday, Oct. 4, resulting in the seizure of suspected shabu, marijuana, and a homemade firearm and ammunition.

The Narvacan Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Ilocos Sur Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Provincial Intelligence Unit and other police units, conducted the operation at 5:15 a.m., according to a police report.

Police identified the suspect as a single resident of Barangay Cadacad and classified him as a street-level drug personality.

Authorities said they seized five small heat-sealed sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, with a combined estimated weight of 0.7 gram and a standard drug price of P4,760.

They also confiscated a plastic bag containing about 27 grams of suspected dried marijuana leaves valued at P3,330 under the standard drug price, along with an improvised glass tooter and two rolled aluminum foil pieces.

The operation also yielded a homemade .22-caliber revolver, four live .22-caliber Magnum rounds, four ordinary .22-caliber rounds and five .38-caliber rounds.Other items seized included a shoulder bag, plastic containers, a candy box and black gloves, police said.

Police said the seized items were inventoried and marked at the scene in the presence of the suspect and designated witnesses in compliance with legal requirements.

The suspect faces charges for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Two Philippine Military Academy senior cadets are now registered civil engineers after passing this year’s licensure examinations on September 26 and 27, the military school’s public information officer said on Monday night.

Army Cadets First Class Daniel F. Castro III of Dumalag, Capiz, and Carls S. Borja of Callao Norte in Lasam, Cagayan, finished their respective civil engineering courses before joining PMA, said Navy Lt. Commander Jesse Nestor Saludo, PMA spokesman.

Saludo said Castro ‘earned his Civil Engineering degree from Capiz State University.’ He described Castro as the eldest of three children whose father, Rex, died in a road accident. Their mother, Jennifer, is a municipal worker.

Saludo said Borja earned a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao. Borja is the son of retired policeman Ronilo and mathematics teacher Carolyn, who serves at the Callao National High School.

They learned the cadets had passed the exam when the Professional Regulation Commission released the test results on October 2.

Both new engineers are candidates for graduation next year as part of the Mandaraig Class of 2027.

In a news release, Saludo said, ‘Preparing for the board examination meant returning to engineering subjects after years of cadet training and finding time to review alongside their regular duties. The licensure examination also came during PMA’s final examination period, from which they are not exempt to take.’

Their cadet ranks are now referred to as Army 1CL, because the current first-class cadets were assigned their branch of service when they were second-class cadets (equivalent to third-year college students), Saludo told the Inquirer.

Once they graduate, Castro and Borja would very likely be commissioned as junior officers of the Philippine Army Corps of Engineers, he said.

Human rights group Karapatan criticized the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for suspending four student activists who staged a campus protest against the Philippine Air Force (PAF), calling the action a violation of their rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.

The students-Raven Racelis, Ralph Manuel, Mecaella Capallar, and Dex Frogoso-were suspended for four to 10 days over the April 21 protest.

Capala was also removed from her post as a student council officer, while the university withheld the students’ certificates of good moral character.

‘We stand with the UST students in their struggle against this latest act of repression that adds to the growing number of attempts by the state to suppress the people’s right to protest,’ said Karapatan in a statement on Tuesday.

On April 21, the students confronted PAF personnel in a military equipment exhibit at UST, which was commemorating its 415th anniversary and the PAF’s 79th.

The students raised concerns over the military’s use of assets and questioned the presence of military personnel on the campus.

Karapatan said the UST administration agreed to the PAF’s demand to discipline the students, but the ‘sanctions fell short of the PAF’s call to expel them from UST.’

‘It is alarming enough that the military is encroaching on campuses, stifling academic freedom and the students’ right to free expression and to protest,’ said Karapatan.

Motorists will see a mixed adjustment in fuel prices starting on Oct. 6, with gasoline again going up even as diesel slightly dips. In separate advisories, Shell Pilipinas and Seaoil said the prices of their gasoline products per liter would increase by P1.90 and P1.93, respectively.

Kerosene will also rise by P3.30 per liter while diesel will have a price drop of P1.30 per liter. Other oil firms have yet to announce their price adjustments.

In a statement late last week, Jetti Petroleum Leo Bellas said the potential price increases for Oct. 6 to Oct. 12 could be attributed to the continued supply disruption worries due to the conflict in the Middle East.

China’s decision to suspend exports of oil products to markets beyond Hong Kong and Macau likewise fueled ‘fears of worsening global product shortages,’ Bellas said.

Reina Mercedes, Isabela Vice Mayor Harold Respicio accused several village officials of involvement in the anomalous use of P66 million tobacco excise tax shares, which resulted in a heated exchange during a municipal council session.

The council session on Monday, posted on the Facebook page of Respicio, has been making rounds on social media. It has over 37,000 reactions, 8,400 comments, and 6,000 shares as of this press time.

The discussion on excise tax shares began when Councilor Hilaria Cutaran made a privilege speech urging Respicio to visit the sites of proposed projects under the tax shares.

She also acknowledged the village officials and farmers present to hear the discussion on the excise tax on tobacco products.

‘Bigyan nyo ng atensyon ang bayan ng Reina Mercedes, be considerate po para maging peaceful at progressive ang ating bayan. Dumito po kayo para malaman ang nangyayari sa bayan,’ she said.

(Give attention to the municipality of Reina Mercedes; be considerate in making this municipality peaceful and progressive.)

In his interpellation, Respicio said tobacco farmers want the excise tax on their products allotted to them amid allegations of anomalies.

‘Gusto nila na ang tobacco excise tax na nakalaan sa kanila sang-ayon sa batas mapunta sa kanilang pakinabang, hindi sa programang hindi ginagawa at dahil hindi nagagawa ang programa. Ang tamang gawin para sa kanya, ay ibigay na lang sa kanila nang substantial cash para sure na hindi manakaw,’ Respicio pointed out.

(They want that the tobacco excise tax allocated to them, as stated by the law, must be given to them and not to projects that are not implemented. The right thing to do is to give them substantial cash to ensure that the shares will not be stolen.)

The vice mayor then asked Cutaran if she knew where the projects from the tax shares from last year went. Cutaran confirmed that she has no knowledge of this matter.

In response, Respicio questioned why the tax shares must be allocated for other projects if they are not being implemented properly.

Cutaran then backtracked and said: ‘Wala naman sigurong programa na hindi magagawa.’ (There probably isn’t any project that is not being implemented.)

Respicio began raising his voice, pointing out the earlier pronouncement that she has no knowledge of the implementation of the projects.

‘Sabi mo gusto mo akong magtrabaho, nagtatrabaho ako ngayon. Magnegotiate tayo, ang premise natin is since walang report sa mga nagawa last year at hindi natin alam kung may nagawa at malaki ang suspetsa na hindi nagagawa, ang aking proposal ay huwag ka munang maglaan ng pera sa mga bagay na baka ulit hindi magawa dahil kapag hindi nagagawa… baka ninanakaw ang pera,’ he answered.

(You said you want me to perform my duties, so here I am doing my job. Let’s negotiate, the premise is since there is no report on the projects done last year, and we do not know if there is anything implemented and we have suspicion that they are not being implemented, my proposal is not allocate money on projects that may not be done because if that is the case… the money may be stolen.)

Cutaran then said that not all the tax shares must be given to farmers. Respicio once again asked if the tax shares must be allocated to unimplemented projects.

When Cutaran responded that it is ‘impossible’ for some projects to be unimplemented, Respicio said: ‘Hindi, kakasagot mo lang kanina na wala kang alam na proyektong hindi nagawa.’ (No, you just said earlier that you don’t know anything about projects that are not implemented.)

He then pressed the village officials in the room on the projects funded by the excise tax.

He told them that they are ‘sufficiently charged by law’ to provide quarterly reports on the progress of the projects funded by the tax.

‘Kung ipipilit ninyo na sabihin na wag ibigay yung pera sa tobacco farmers, at sabi nyo ibigay ang pera sa programa dahil sinasabi nyo na magagawa naman, ipakita nyo muna na nagawa yung last year,’ Respicio said.

(If you insist on not providing the money to tobacco farmers, and say that the tax shall be allotted to programs, show the progress of the projects from last year.)

An official then requested to check the progress of the projects in barangays, to which Respicio agreed to.

He asked another village official about the status of a rural health facility worth P5 million. Respicio raised his voice when the official said no project had been implemented.

Another village official intervened amid the exchange. In response, Respicio said that the session is a ‘civilized forum’ where they can confront each other.

Respicio raised concern about the alleged exclusion of tobacco farmers from participating in the session.

He then asked another village official if he was one of those who allegedly prohibited the tobacco farmers from participating in the previous session.

The village official also raised his voice and rejected the allegation, telling Respicio: ‘Bastos ka!’ (You’re rude!)

In response, Respicio told the village officials: ‘Mga magnanakaw!’ (You are thieves!)

As the exchange grew more heated, they moved to suspend the session, but it was not approved.

Respicio then asked the village officials how much they stole from the municipality. Another village official intervened and said: ‘Walang magnanakaw dito, walang napatunayang may magnanakaw.’ (No one stole here; there is no proof of that.)

As the village officials were being escorted out of the session hall, one of them threw profanities at Respicio and questioned his job as a vice mayor.

‘Andun ka lang sa Manila, hindi ka naman nagtatrabaho, kumukuha ka lang ng sahod mo,’ the village official said.

(You are just in Manila, you are not doing your job, you’re just getting your salary.)

Reina Mercedes is one of Isabela’s major tobacco-producing municipalities.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag encouraged Vice President Sara Duterte to appear at the bureau and present what she described as ‘false accusations’ made by dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. against her.

This came after Duterte released a statement Monday evening saying they received Gracioso’s affidavit and that the former cop made 29 statements against her that she and her camp believe are ‘false.’

When sought for his response, Matibag on Tuesday said in an interview that ‘it is easy to make claims,’ but these remarks must be established with ‘evidence.’

‘And that’s what we are doing right now,’ the NBI chief emphasized.

‘So, if she will participate and come here, as we invited her and present to us what the 29 alleged violations are, then, we’ll be more than willing to investigate it, and compare it with other evidence,’ he said.

The NBI director also responded to Duterte’s statement that she expects the bureau to file perjury charges against Gracioso ‘once the agency completes its investigation and the evidence is fully evaluated.’

‘Thankfully, she’s saying that we can file a lawsuit,’ Matibag said and then, made a suggestion: ‘But if they can identify that there is a real violation, they can lodge a direct filing, [but] we will be happy to help them.’

He noted that even though Duterte will not appear at the NBI, the bureau will still ‘find ways’ to validate if Gracioso’s affidavit equates to ‘perjury.’

Duterte was first invited on Monday at the bureau, but her camp earlier wrote to the NBI, requesting to reschedule the date on Thursday, October 8.

‘We’re giving them leeway. Actually, it’s an invitation. It’s not a subpoena,’ Matibag clarified.

‘So hopefully, if they really have claims, either they come here or present the document via letter, attach the evidence, then NBI will do our job to investigate it,’ he added.

Gracioso said he delivered more than P2 billion to the vice president, P1 billion to former President Rodrigo Duterte, and P100 million to Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte.

These deliveries were reporterdly done in tranches starting in 2018, upon the instructions of Gracioso’s former boss, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

Velasco-who is reportedly still out of the country-also earlier released a statement denying Gracioso’s narratives.

Three legal counsels of the former speaker and his wife, Rowena, appeared before the bureau on Monday to comply with their invitation letter and formally receive Gracioso’s affidavit.

The Philippines’ leading integrated property developer solidified its industry standing with multiple distinctions at the Dot Property and Lamudi Philippines Real Estate Awards 2026, led by Camella being named Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao.

The recognition was accompanied by other major honors across the Vista Land portfolio: Best Multigenerational Housing Development and the People’s Choice Award for Camella Praverde; Best Lifestyle Development for Siena by Crown Asia; Best Student Residential Development for Hawthorne Heights by Vista Residences; and Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities for The Upstate by Vista Manors.

These accolades reflect a strategy built not around a single residential format, but on a widening range of household priorities, locations, life stages, and investment preferences. Vista Land has continued to pursue parallel growth across house-and-lot communities and condominium properties as economic activity decentralizes and regional cities and growth corridors acquire greater demographic importance.

For Camella, the Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao award carries particular significance. The flagship housing brand of Vista Land has built more than 600,000 homes across 1,250 communities, with a presence in 49 provinces and 147 cities and municipalities. Its geographic scale places Camella across metropolitan centers, tourism destinations, growth corridors, and infralink projects, allowing the housing brand to respond to residential requirements while keeping Filipino family life at the center of its communities.

‘This honor for Camella as Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao on its road to 50 years affirms our continued commitment to bring lifelong homeownership to generations of Filipinos across the archipelago. More than expanding our footprint for nearly five decades, we want families to have places where they can begin their forever in communities that reflect their values and remain relevant through the years,’ said Mary Lee S. Sadiasa, Chief Operating Officer of Vista Land.

The same long-term view finds a more vivid expression in Camella Praverde, named Best Multigenerational Housing Development. Set in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, the close-to-12-hectare Spanish Mediterranean-inspired residential community combines functional layouts with lifestyle amenities and adaptable spaces. Its position within one of Cavite’s growth corridors complements a proposition that caters to shared living and flexible settings while accommodating shifting household priorities.

Camella Praverde was also the People’s Choice awardee, earning the confidence of industry leaders, market observers, and property buyers who took part in the public vote. Beyond professional distinction, the accolade signals longstanding trust in a community created for continuity and a legacy of value across life stages.

Distinguished addresses for differentiated demand

Recognition extended to Siena by Crown Asia, recipient of Best Lifestyle Development. Located in Bacoor City, the 5.9-hectare themed residential development draws architectural direction from Tuscany, translating Italian influences into landscaped surroundings, leisure facilities, and refined residences conceived around a considered way of living. Its location likewise benefits from access to the regional city’s major road networks connecting Cavite with Metro Manila and other parts of South Luzon.

In Quezon City, Vista Residences’ Hawthorne Heights under its University Series was named Best Student Residential Development, underscoring the heightened relevance of purpose-positioned housing in established educational clusters. Situated along Katipunan Avenue, near Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, and the University of the Philippines Diliman, the 41-storey condominium property offers studio and one-bedroom units complemented by a swimming pool, gym, function hall, study rooms, and fitness trails. Its configuration brings proximity, productivity, and redefined student living into a vertical community for residents and investors assessing academic-led residential demand.

The Upstate by Vista Manors, meanwhile, received the award for Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities. Rising in Bay, Laguna, the vertical village places studio and one-bedroom layouts near resort destinations, educational branches, retail parks, and developing transport links in South Luzon. Recreational facilities, roof decks, and smart home-ready features strengthen its residential offerings, while its address demonstrates the approach of entering locations where infrastructure, institutions, and local enterprise can support long-term property fundamentals.

Recognition reinforces a broader residential strategy

The awards arrive as Vista Land advances a multi-market expansion model geared towards the changing geography of Philippine economic growth. Rather than relying on a single buyer profile or concentrating its portfolio in metropolitan centers, the company has expanded across master planned developments and landed neighborhoods calibrated to the demographic conditions of their respective segments.

This approach allows each housing brand to perform a distinguished role. Camella extends broad-based access to lifelong homeownership with multigenerational house models; Crown Asia addresses the upscale market through themed residential developments; Vista Residences responds to metropolitan mobility, academic activity, and high-rise demand; while Vista Manors introduces resort living and investment opportunities into regional cities and growth corridors.

Collectively, the 2026 distinctions do more than add to Vista Land’s record of industry recognition. They demonstrate how scale can translate to specialization, and how these selections can serve a social purpose. Housing becomes more responsive when real estate reflects where Filipinos study, work, raise families, invest, and build their futures.

As demand continues to diversify across the country, Vista Land is positioning its offerings to keep pace with shifting requirements: bringing its expertise in residential development to more markets while creating properties for families putting down roots, pursuing possibilities, and creating lasting value for generations.

Pioneering nationwide excellence in property development

As the holding company for Vista Group’s residential ventures, Vista Land is primarily engaged in developing integrated estates, house-and-lot communities, condominium properties, and commercial assets across the country.

Filipinos deserve the best-this guiding belief has long been central to the enduring success of the Philippines’ leading integrated property developer. Creating visionary, secure, and enriching environments and services for its residents, as well as delivering exceptional long-term returns for its investors, has always been the driving force behind Vista Land’s continued evolution.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense panel is set to continue its cross-examination of Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura on Tuesday.

After an eight-hour trial on Monday, the defense was only able to examine Buenaventura, who testified on the bank transactions of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, who breached P500,000.

666 transactions

In particular, he said that, from 2007 to 2025, the couple had a total of 666 transactions above P500,000 or covered transactions reported by banks and 55 suspicious transactions.

In total, the transactions amounted to P4.4 billion.

But during the first hour of cross-examination on Monday evening, defense counsel Atty. Mark Vinluan pressed that the transactions presented by Buenaventura do not take into account the frequency of rotating the same amount of money over P500,000.

He also pointed to the lack of Buenaventura’s knowledge of the exact nature of the transactions.

Vinluan also warned Buenaventura and members of the press of possibly being charged for violating bank secrecy laws.

This line of questioning faced the scrutiny of some senator-judges who condemned the seemingly ‘chilling’ or ‘threatening’ tone of the defense.

The defense earlier opposed the presentation of Buenaventura, citing financial confidentiality laws.

Before Buenaventura’s presentation, they moved to exclude him as a witness, but the court ruled otherwise, saying that confidentiality laws are not absolute, especially in exercising accountability proceedings.

Issues against Vice President Sara Duterte have gone beyond mere non-declaration in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) and have escalated to a national security concern, House prosecution spokesperson Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.

In a press briefing on Tuesday after Duterte’s impeachment trial, Alonto Adiong described the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) confirmation of financial transactions from accounts in China to Cale88 Foods Corporation-a company owned by the Vice President’s husband, Manases Carpio-‘worrisome.’

AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified on Monday that Cale88 got over P319 million worth of inward transactions from companies based in China-which Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros said had links to state-owned corporations and the Chinese Communist Party.

‘Kung si Atty. Mans Carpio owned 47 percent of the stocks of Cale88, which actually had an activity, getting P700 million plus from inward remittances from any other country, especially China, na adversarial naman alam natin ang interest nila, eh mukhang hindi lang ho pagda-divest dapat ang isa sa mga issue ngayon,’ he said.

(If Atty. Mans Carpio owned 47 percent of Cale88’s stock, which actually had activity, receiving P700 million plus from inward remittances from other countries, especially China, whose interests we know are adversarial; then, it seems the issue here is not merely about divesting.)

‘Ang issue ngayon ay pagtataksil na sa ating bansa because ni-negosyo mo ang kapakanan ng ating bansa nag-elevate na nga ‘to, hindi lang sa issue ng impeachment and non-disclosure of the SALN eh, in fact, kanina nakakita lang ako ng bagong position ng NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency). This warrants an issue of national security,’ he added.

When asked if the developments added weight to the prosecution’s case, Alonto Adiong said this might entail another violation of the 1987 Constitution.

‘Actually hindi lang heavier, hindi lang ‘yong non-disclosures sa SALN what is so worrisome about this is there are portions of those inflow, cash na inward remittances, coming from different countries. Eh klaro naman po that the vice president and her husband, when it comes to assets, absolute community-ibig sabihin joint accounts sila dito, joint property sila dito,’ Alonto Adiong said.

(Actually, it’s not only heavier, but it’s not only about non-disclosures in her SALN […] what is so worrisome about this is there are portions of those inflows, cash na inward remittances, coming from different countries. It is clear that the vice president and her husband, when it comes to assets, absolute community – meaning these are joint accounts, they share a joint property,’ Alonto Adiong said.

‘Apart from divestment na sinasabi ng Constitution na dapat walang business interest ang elected official, presidente, vice president, sinasabi rin po sa Constitution Article IX, Section 8, Paragraph b na hindi dapat ang elected na opisyal, empleyado ng gobyerno ay tumanggap ng any other emoluments or compensation, directly or indirectly, sa isang foreign country,’ he added.

(Apart from divestment under the Constitution that an elected official, president, vice president, should have no business interests, it is also stated in the Constitution under Article IX, Section 8, Paragraph b, which states that an elected official or a government employee should not accept any other emoluments or compensation, directly or indirectly, from a foreign country.)

Last Friday, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that Cale88 received over P319 million worth of funds from China-based companies and the Chinese government itself.

On Monday, upon the questioning of counsel for prosecution Mae Divinagracia, Buenaventura released reports showing that they recorded P319,326,770.41 worth of inward transactions coming from either mainland China or Hong Kong, towards Cale88-confirming Trillanes’ claims.

Duterte’s lawyers were able to secure a confirmation from AMLC that there was no document showing the Chinese government’s involvement with companies that sent funds to Cale88, but Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros claimed that at least two of the companies that forwarded money were linked to the Chinese government.

In her interjection, Hontiveros pointed out that her office looked into the background of two of the companies that transacted with Cale88-China National Township Enterprises and the Beijing Jianweifang Food Company.

Based on their research, Hontiveros said that China National Township Enterprises used to be directly under China’s Ministry of Agriculture, being a state-owned agricultural enterprise.

Meanwhile, the senator-judge said Beijing Jianweifang Food Company is owned by the Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group, which in turn is a Chinese state-owned enterprise.

Hontiveros went on to say that within Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group’s corporate structure is a component of the Chinese Communist Party, while the chairperson of the Beijing Jianweifang Food Company is supposedly a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

After these revelations, no less than Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said that receiving funds from China-linked businesses could have national security implications.

‘If this can be proven-and there is indeed prima facie evidence, as stated by the AMLC, then we really need to pay serious attention to this matter,’ Teodoro told reporters after his visit to soldiers wounded in a Basilan ambush.

‘This has profound implications for national security because it concerns potential influence on government processes,’ he added.

Duterte is being tried before the Senate impeachment court over four main allegations. Currently, the prosecution is presenting evidence of Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which focuses on her alleged unexplained wealth and her supposed failure to disclose these in her SALNs.

Part of Buenaventura’s testimony was the confirmation of several flagged transactions involving Duterte and her relatives, amounting to P4.4 billion.

ACEN Corp., the power arm of the Ayala Group, has secured fresh capital of 50 million euros, or about P3.5 billion, from a Dutch banking giant for its renewables projects.

In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, the company said it had signed a term loan facility with ING Bank, N.V., Manila Branch. ING Bank N.V., Singapore Branch, acted as agent for the transaction.

The group announced that it will use the new funds to finance and refinance investments in existing and future renewable energy projects through its subsidiaries and joint ventures.

The company will also use a portion of the secured loan for general corporate purposes.

In May last year, the renewable energy producer also inked a 50-million-euro credit facility with ING Bank.

ACEN has been getting backing from foreign financial institutions to support its expansion abroad, including 750 million Australian dollars secured from a group of 11 Australian and international banks in 2025.

For 2026, ACEN is targeting about P80 billion in spending, up from last year’s P55 billion, to fuel its momentum further.

The firm’s core market is the Philippines, but it has also been building its portfolio across India, Australia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Indonesia.

At present, ACEN has 7.5 gigawatts of attributable renewable energy capacity from projects that are already operational, under construction, or have signed agreements.

Despite the chaos brought by the Middle East war to key industries, the company kept its growth engine running, as shown by its solid first-half results.

Its bottom line soared more than fivefold to P3.9 billion from P763 million a year ago, driven by strong generation growth and power sales.

‘The growing global emphasis on indigenous renewable energy presents significant opportunities for ACEN,’ Jonathan Back, ACEN CFO and chief strategy officer, previously said.