Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

For Cheerful Homes owners Andrew and Aiko Amante, moving to Mabalacat opened the door to a more manageable and balanced life they never imagined possible.

Before that move, they were dreading Monday mornings. Not because of the work ahead, but because of the goodbye that came with it.

For the past year, Sunday nights meant packing bags, loading the car, and making the long, exhausting drive back to Baguio, leaving their restaurants and a piece of their peace of mind behind.

‘Every week, ganun na lang,’ Andrew recalls, his voice carrying the weight of those memories. ‘Andito kami sa Pampanga for the weekend, tapos uuwi kami sa Baguio Sunday night. Tapos Monday morning, nag-aalala ka na agad kung okay ba ‘yung restaurant.’

Betting on Mabalacat, Pampanga

The Amantes had built something they were proud of: Amante’s Ribs and Steak and Chiisai Izakaya, two restaurants in Mabalacat, Pampanga. It was a deliberate choice. As Baguio residents, they saw what was happening in Pampanga: Clark Freeport expanding, a new airport rising, and businesses pouring in.

‘Nakita namin ‘yung potential ng Mabalacat,’ Andrew explains. ‘Clark is booming. Maraming opportunities. Pero more than that, it’s a city na may room para lumago ang negosyo namin.’

But their plan to manage the business from 250 kilometers away quickly fell apart. They thought they could survive as ‘weekend managers,’ driving down on Fridays and rushing back to the mountains on Sundays. Reality set in quickly.

The breaking point was the emotional cost. ”Yung weekends namin, supposedly para sa pamilya pero we spend time sa daan, sa traffic, sa pagod. Wala kaming pahinga,’ Andrew says.

The decision became clear: they had to move to Mabalacat. It wasn’t easy leaving Baguio, their hometown, where their families lived. But the restaurants were their future, and they needed a home that allowed them to be hands-on daily, not just on weekends. They found it at Cheerful Homes by SMDC.

The 10-Minute Difference

The restaurants are a ten-minute drive from their front door. Ten minutes. Not five hours. Not a weekend trip.

‘Before, kailangan naming planuhin ang buong linggo para lang makapunta sa restaurant. Ngayon, araw-araw kaming nandun,’ Aiko says, relief evident in her voice. ”Pag may issue sa umaga, nandoon ako. Then, in ten minutes, nasa bahay na ako.’

But the real magic happens after closing. When the dinner rush ends, they simply get in the car, and ten minutes later, they’re home.

Cheerful Homes didn’t just solve their commuting problem; it gave them a complete ecosystem for their family’s daily needs. When the pantry runs low, SM Clark is a quick drive away. When Andrew needs to fly in supplies, Clark International Airport is practically in their backyard. When their son needs to go to school, it’s a stress-free trip.

”Yung location ng Cheerful Homes, pinag-isipan talaga,’ Andrew explains. ‘Grocery, airport, school, business district, lahat nandito.’

The project is gated and secure, which matters when you’re running a business late at night. ”Yung peace of mind, hindi mo mababayaran ‘yon,’ he says. ‘Alam mong kahit nasa trabaho ka, safe sila.’

On rest days, you’ll find the Amantes at the clubhouse. Andrew grills something experimental from the menu while Aiko catches up on reading and their son splashes in the pool with the neighbor kids. For a family that moved away from everything they knew, that gated community became their new home.

A Price That Makes Sense, A Life That Finally Does Too

For a young couple building a business and planning for the future, the affordability of Cheerful Homes wasn’t just a pleasant surprise; it was a strategic advantage.

That investment dream isn’t hypothetical. The Amantes are already looking at purchasing at least one more unit in the same development, this time as a passive income property.

But for the Amantes, the real return on investment isn’t just in property value. It’s in the time they’ve reclaimed. Andrew still works long hours, but now, when the dinner rush ends, he doesn’t have to brace himself for a long drive back to Baguio. He doesn’t have to miss bedtime stories or morning hugs.

”Yung oras na naibigay sa amin ng Cheerful Homes, hindi lang convenience ‘yun,’ Aiko says, smiling. ‘Family time ‘yun for us.’

Sometimes, all it takes is finding the right house in the right location-a place that gives back time for your family and a home that makes room for creating more memories. And for a young family trying to build a life, that’s not just a short drive. That’s everything.

Municipal officials inspected a portion of the shoreline in Barangay Talabaan Proper in the Occidental Mindoro town of Mamburao on Sunday, Oct. 4, after residents reported a foul smell that had persisted for nearly two weeks.

Residents said the odor became noticeable after weeks of rain brought by the southwest monsoon.

During the inspection, officials found stagnant water along the shoreline, apparently caused by sand and other materials blocking the natural flow of water.

Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Aris Ramos said the odor may have come from decaying grass, coral, leaves and other organic materials buried under sand deposited along the shore by strong waves.

The municipal government plans to use a payloader or backhoe to clear the blockage and restore water flow.

Mayor Glicerio Almero III led the inspection with disaster risk reduction, health, veterinary and environment officials, as well as police and barangay officials. The team also used a drone to survey the area for other possible sources of the odor.

Almero urge residents and barangay officials to continue monitoring the shoreline and report any changes to the municipal government.

Photos from sources show the office vacated by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as former Senate president pro tempore was stripped bare.

This is where Sen. Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III will have to rebuild his new office as the current Senate president pro tempore.

Sotto, in a message to the Inquirer on Monday, confirmed that this was indeed the condition of the office when it was turned over to them.

On Monday night, Lacson appeared to poke fun at the matter and posted what seems to be an AI-generated photo of Sotto working on a monobloc table and chair and a lamp.

‘Poor Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto. Naka-monobloc table and chair at lampara na lang. Mistulang ‘barebones’ ang bago niyang opisina,’ he said in a post on X.

(‘Poor Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto. He’s left with just a monobloc table and chair and a lamp. His new office looks like ‘barebones.”)

‘NAKA MONOBLOC TABLE AND CHAIR AT LAMPARA NA LANG’ LOOK: Sen. Ping Lacson pokes fun at Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto IV’s newly turned-over Senate office.He posted what seems to be an AI-generated image of Sotto working with only a monobloc table, chair,… pic.twitter.com/jEo2ntqoth

(It’s because the previous occupant dismantled everything – from the floor tiles, walls, and cabinets to the toilet fixtures and wall outlets – they stripped it all bare.)

According to lawyer Marian Lucinario from Sotto’s office, they were ‘shocked’ when they saw the condition of the office.

‘Sen. Sotto has been in the Senate for so long, and with all the office transfers that have happened within this building, this is the first time I’ve seen an office left in such an unusable condition,’ she told the Inquirer in a message.

When asked if this was a normal occurrence, Lucinario said the matter was ‘unprecedented.’

‘The usual practice is only to remove your furniture and make sure not to damage the floors and wall. Senate is only renting this building from the [Government Service Insurance System] (GSIS). Permanent fixtures including electric sockets are GSIS property,’ she explained.

Asked again whether there was any correspondence from Estrada’s office regarding the turnover, Lucinario said they have so far not received any.

Prior to Estrada’s occupancy, Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson used the office as then Senate president pro tempore.

Lucinario said, this was ‘definitely not the condition of the office upon turnover to them by the previous occupant, Sen. Lacson.’

Malacañang is confident President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget before year-end, avoiding a repeat of last year’s delay.

In a briefing on Monday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the 2027 national budget should be passed by Congress on schedule, acknowledging that the process took longer than expected last year.

‘It should be,’ Castro told reporters when asked if the Palace was confident that Congress would approve the spending bill on time.

She declined to provide a timeline for the passage of the 2027 budget, saying circumstances could still change.

Despite this uncertainty, Castro said President Marcos has not yet certified the 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) as urgent.

This authorizes the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, to approve a bill on second and third reading on the same day, bypassing the usual three-day waiting period.

The 20th Congress will go on recess from Oct. 10 to Nov. 8, with legislative work, including budget hearings, generally suspended until the regular session resumes on Nov. 9.

Current rules of both the House and Senate allow their respective committees to conduct hearings while sessions are adjourned to ensure continuity in pending legislation and oversight matters.

Castro recalled that the passage of the 2026 GAB and its transmittal to the Office of the President (OP) took longer than expected, which also delayed the Palace’s review of the measure.

Marcos was only able to sign the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2026 on Jan. 5, as Malacañang needed about two weeks to review the enrolled GAB.

With that development, the national government worked on a reenacted 2025 budget of P6.326 trillion for five days.

Malacañang, however, downplayed the delay, saying it would not disrupt government operations.

A coastal protection project that combines Dutch water-management expertise with the indigenous knowledge of a coastal community in this city is drawing interest from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and European countries as a potential model for addressing tidal flooding, land subsidence, and other effects of climate change.

Nearly 100 delegates from Asean and European countries visited the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) coastal protection project in the island village of Pamarawan during a three-day cross-learning program held Sept. 28 to Sept. 30.

The program, themed ‘Beyond the Risk: Strategic Choices for Climate Change Resilient Countries in Asean,’ brought together delegates from the Netherlands, Cambodia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Asean member states, including representatives of the Asean Secretariat. The Dutch ambassador to the Philippines also joined the visit, according to Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad.

The Pamarawan NbS project covers about 14 hectares of coastline and shoreline defenses along Manila Bay. It uses locally available and discarded materials, including oyster shells, bamboo and coconut shells, to help protect the community from tidal waters and storm surges.

Natividad said the project grew out of an initial North Manila Bay Flood Protection Strategy study conducted by Dutch water-management firm Royal HaskoningDHV, which was tapped by the city government to develop the project’s detailed engineering design.

The project is considered the Philippines’ first large-scale NbS initiative of its kind, according to the city government.

Pamarawan, an island barangay adjacent to Manila Bay, can only be reached by boat.

Cross-learning program

Natividad noted the cross-learning program was conceptualized by Asean and European leaders during the International Water Week in Singapore in August. The program aims to allow participating countries to study the Malolos project and explore how similar approaches could be adapted to their own coastal communities.

But while the project draws on international expertise, Natividad said much of its implementation relies on the indigenous knowledge and labor of Pamarawan residents.

‘It is our people in Pamarawan who build all these,’ Natividad told the Inquirer.

He said the project seeks to restore shorelines that had been damaged by tidal waters and strong storm surges.

‘There were sea walls and dikes that were constructed by the government, but these were wrecked,’ Natividad added, attributing the worsening flooding problem to what he described as corruption, substandard materials, and so-called ghost projects.

Unlike conventional ‘gray’ infrastructure such as concrete seawalls, dikes, and floodwalls, the project uses natural materials to work with the environment.

‘This is a green project. This is Malolos’ way of trying to solve its tidal and fluvial problems without the use of concrete and cement. We are building with nature, not against nature,’ Natividad shared.

The project’s breakwaters, made partly from discarded oyster shells and bamboo, are designed to reduce the force of waves and tidal surges from Manila Bay while trapping sediments and debris carried downstream.

Climate change

Natividad said flooding in the area has been aggravated by rising sea levels due to climate change and the continued sinking of land.

While concrete dikes and walls can cost billions of pesos, he said, mangroves and bamboo can continue to grow even as land subsidence and sea-level rise persist.

The trapped sediments are expected to gradually raise the elevation of the shoreline and create conditions favorable for mangrove growth.

The city government has allocated P70 million for the project, which began construction in 2024 and is targeted for completion this year.

Natividad said the project could serve as Malolos’ contribution to global efforts to address tidal flooding, land subsidence, and other environmental challenges associated with climate change.

‘Even international communities want to adopt our Nature-based Solution project. It was first recognized in the international scene. It has been known in Malolos, then later in other towns and cities in our province and now, at the national level,’ he noted.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon cited the Malolos NbS project as one of the flood-mitigation initiatives that the agency is considering for other coastal communities during a meeting with Bulacan officials on Sept. 18.

Dizon also visited the Pamarawan project on Sept. 29.

Natividad said Malolos hopes to share its approach with other coastal communities across the country.

‘We are an archipelago. We will restore nature as part of the solution. Imagine if the entire country will be greened through this project. We have already restored the elevation of our shoreline and our coastal areas because of the mangroves,’ he stated.

I once killed Cesar Virata by accident. It was during the pandemic. Word spread he’d succumbed to COVID-19. I tweeted he’d passed. Mercifully, he actually recovered. By all accounts, until the end, he was lucid and died in harness just last week.

In his days of political power (and after), I only knew him as a kind, quiet man who faithfully watched every Repertory performance of his wife, Joy. When I completed the audio production of ‘Twenty Speeches That Moved A Nation,’ he very kindly granted the use, gratis, of the theater of the Yuchengco Center for the launch. He was, as they say, a gentleman of the old school.

In the Götterdämmerung moment of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.-his last inaugural, besieged in the Palace-neither his ‘elected’ running mate, Arturo Tolentino, nor his Prime Minister, Virata, bothered to show up. Then again, his closest crony, Eduardo Cojuangco, was also absent; he had the best excuse: he was packing his bags, preparing to go into exile with his patron-pal. Tolentino, on the other hand, had privately taken his oath as ‘Vice President’ a day or two before. Typically, it was Virata who acted institutionally and pragmatically.

The day after Marcos fled, Doy Laurel recorded in his diary, ‘I met with Cesar Virata to agree on a smooth turnover of the Office of the Prime Minister. He agreed but asked for time to meet with Batasan MPs (KBL). My takeover was delayed because Virata said the Constitution requires that the Batasan must elect the PM. However, with sympathetic KBL MPs Yñiguez/Virata/JPE plus UNIDO stalwarts, I am assured of a clear majority.’

This is a startling, unexpectedly political glimpse into what we consider, to this day, to have been an essential characteristic of Virata: that he was never a politician, and always a technocrat. After all, he was the first to underscore this. Virata told Nicole CuUnjieng, ‘Marcos selected a very good Cabinet … His main instruction to us [was]: do your best in your own field, you let me know what you think is the best decision, and let me think about the political consequences of your decision, because we were not politicians.’

Teresa Tandem’s ‘The Rise and Fall of Virata’s Network: Technocracy and the Politics of Economic Decision Making in the Philippines’ (2018) summarizes Virata’s own view of his era: ‘In Virata’s own assessment, his network was weakened when Marcos’s health failed during an economic crisis in 1981 and after Benigno Aquino’s assassination in 1983. In those crises, Imelda Marcos’s network and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Fabian Ver’s faction of the military network took power amidst the rise of an anti-dictatorship movement. The United States’ switch of support from Marcos to Corazon Aquino sealed the demise of Virata’s network.’

James Putzel of the London School of Economics never bought it: ‘In fact,’ he once wrote, ‘many of those portrayed as ‘technocrats’ were no more than representatives of the vested interests of the business community, and are better understood as a group within the oligarchy,’ and considered Virata the foremost example of this. But Lisandro Claudio in ‘The Profligate Colonial’ points to Virata and Gerardo Sicat as prepared to tackle entrenched orthodoxies: Virata, for example, pursued devaluation, which was anathema up to that time.

So where lies the truth? Whatever Virata’s origins and social standing, he was a man with feet firmly planted in academe who happened to have strong ideas that bucked the trend; but his ideas only had a fighting chance if given political backing, and to that end, he played the game-perhaps with more relish and finesse than his contemporaries noticed. Claudio quotes Teresa Tandem, who noted that they (Virata and Sicat) were ‘either oblivious to or simply ignored the political machinations of Marcos in perpetuating himself in power.’ Claudio adds a perceptive observation of his own: ‘Perhaps they were also seduced by the dictator’s power to remove policy roadblocks.’

The posthumous reputation of Virata rests on a counterfactual: what would the New Society and New Republic have been like if he hadn’t been there? Impossible to prove. Against the ‘what ifs’ must be ranged the what were’s: When Virata abolished the coconut levy, Marcos restored it; Imelda Marcos called him ‘Dr. No,’ after one of the Bond villains, because of his opposition to her pet ideas. His only power, then, was the reflected kind, and strictly limited by conjugal considerations when it came to Sir and Ma’am. Benito Legarda Jr. always pointed out the very high regard in which Virata was held abroad and that he was instrumental in saving the economy during escalating crises in 1981 and 1983, after Aquino’s assassination, ‘Crisis had turned into chaos, but if anybody could restore some semblance of order it was he.’

It was an impression the Great Dictator, with his gift for playacting the philosopher-king, had no problem fostering. Beth Day Romulo recounts in her memoirs that ‘We were all sitting around the dinner table at Keekarock Lodge in Kenya, after an exhilarating day spent viewing the wild game when Finance Minister Cesar Virata commented pointedly to the President: ‘For every King there are vultures.’ He went on to summarize what the guide had said: that the great lions killed only for food, not greed, and thus retained respect. President Marcos listened carefully and later was heard repeating the statement: ‘For every King there are vultures.”

In the end, it was the vultures that were kept fat and happy, and returned home from exile to achieve restoration. The technocrats? Then as now, left to clean up the mess they themselves helped create.

The southwest monsoon, or habagat, season has officially ended, but the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) will continue to bring rain to parts of the country, the state weather bureau said Monday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said changes in the prevailing weather pattern, including the strengthening of a high-pressure system over East Asia and the southward migration of the ITCZ, led to the weakening of habagat-related winds and rainfall.

Pagasa weather specialist Charmagne Varilla said the weather bureau was expecting a transition to easterlies, with rainfall decreasing particularly over western Luzon and Visayas.

Despite the end of the monsoon season, Pagasa, in its 24-hour public weather forecast, said the ITCZ would continue to affect Palawan and Mindanao through Tuesday afternoon.

‘Based on our latest satellite animation, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ, is currently bringing moderate to, at times, heavy rains over Palawan and the entire Mindanao,’ Varilla said.

Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan may have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, with moderate to at times heavy rains that could trigger flash floods and landslides in affected areas.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country, meanwhile, may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Pagasa also warned that severe thunderstorms may trigger flash floods or landslides.

Varilla said the ITCZ would continue to bring rainy conditions over the Visayas until Wednesday, while Mindanao would continue to face a high chance of rain over the next three days.

Pagasa was also monitoring Typhoon Choi-Wan, which was outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as of 3 p.m. Monday.

The typhoon was about 2,570 kilometers east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 215 km/h. It was moving northward at 20 km/h.

Varilla said the typhoon was not expected to enter the PAR or directly affect any part of the country.

Catholic priest Fr. Warren Puno and 34 fellow environmentalists launched a week-long protest march from Atimonan, Quezon, to Manila on Monday to denounce environmental destruction and injustices faced by marginalized communities.

Dubbed ‘Lakbay Panaghoy II – Kalikasan, Kapayapaan, Katarungan’ (Journey of Lament II – Environment, Peace, Justice), the 154-kilometer protest hike started after the 5 a.m. Holy Mass at the Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Atimonan. The march will continue until after Oct. 12.

‘This is more than just a protest. It is a journey of faith, prayer, sacrifice, and conviction,’ Puno, 48, head of the Ministry of Ecology of the Diocese of Lucena, said in an online interview with the Inquirer on Sunday night.

Puno said the protest was staged ‘because many cries remain unheard – the cries of nature, which continues to be destroyed; of farmers fighting for their land; of fisher folk whose livelihoods are at risk; and of the poor, who are the first to suffer from the climate crisis.’

‘As a Church, we cannot remain silent in the face of such suffering. It is part of our prophetic mission to be the voice of the voiceless and amplify the voices of those who have long been ignored. We cannot preach love for God while neglecting His creation and our fellow human beings,’ he said.

Puno, convenor of Quezon for Environment (QUEEN), has been leading opposition to the proposed 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Atimonan along the coast of Lamon Bay.

‘Our more than decade-long struggle against the proposed coal-fired power plant in Atimonan reminds us why a just transition to clean energy must be given serious attention,’ said Puno, parish priest of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish in Barangay Poon in Atimonan.

Atimonan One Energy (A1E), a wholly owned subsidiary of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), which is the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), is the developer of the proposed Atimonan project.

The project has been in development for years, but construction of the proposed power plant has yet to begin.

Puno said communities in Quezon, which he described as the country’s ‘coal capital,’ have consistently opposed the Atimonan project.

Quezon is already home to coal-fired power facilities in Mauban and Pagbilao, in addition to the proposed Atimonan plant.

In November last year, Puno and fellow environmental advocates staged the first ‘Lakad Panaghoy,’ a three-day, 31-kilometer protest march from Mauban to Tayabas City.

‘We are not against development. We are fighting for development that does not destroy nature or sacrifice people’s lives and livelihoods,’ Puno said.

The initial group of marchers consists of 20 senior citizens and 14 others, mostly young people. Some will leave the march at designated points and be replaced by environmentalists and concerned citizens from municipalities along the route.

Puno said the group would engage communities along the route and bring their concerns to government agencies in Manila.

‘We are not walking because we have lost hope. We are walking because we believe there is still something we can do. We will engage in dialogue with affected communities along our route and bring their voices to Manila as we meet with government agencies,’ he said.

‘Every step is a prayer. Every kilometer is a sacrifice. And every community we pass through reminds us that what we are fighting for is not only for the present but also for generations to come,’ he added.

The first leg of the protest hike will cover 31.2 kilometers from Atimonan to neighboring Pagbilao. Each leg will start and end at a church where the marchers will rest and spend the night.

The ‘Lakbay Panaghoy’ will pass through Lucena City, Sariaya and Tiaong in Quezon; and San Pablo City, Calauan, Bay, Los Baños, Calamba City, Cabuyao, Biñan and San Pedro in Laguna before reaching Parañaque City in Metro Manila.

The march will end at the national offices of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Quezon City, where the protesters plan to submit community protest letters and seek dialogue with government officials.

‘May this lament not only be heard but also become the beginning of meaningful action. For there can be no genuine peace without justice, and no just future if we continue to destroy our one and only home,’ Puno said.

The House of Representatives has adopted a resolution that seeks the Senate’s concurrence on extending session up to Oct. 12, so that the chamber can approve the proposed 2027 national budget on third and final reading.

During the session on Monday, Deputy Majority Leader and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan moved that House Resolution (HR) No. 1501 be considered, prompting Deputy Speaker Ferjenel Biron to direct the deputy secretary general to read the said measure.

HR No. 1501’s title read as a ‘resolution requesting the Honorable Senate of the Philippines for consent to extend the plenary session of the House of Representatives to October 12, 2026, for the purpose of considering the General Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2027 on third and final reading.’

The resolution was then adopted via viva voce or voice voting.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 17 which laid down Congress’ schedule stated that the last session day will be on Oct. 9, as the legislative branch will adjourn from Oct. 10 to Nov. 8.

If the Senate allows it, this will not be the first time that the House extended its session to accommodate the passage of the annual budget.

In August 2025, when the House was tackling the then-proposed 2026 national budget, the chamber adopted a resolution that amends the original schedule of the 20th Congress’ first regular session, pushing the adjournment to Oct. 11, 2025.

Longer session days are necessary for the passage of a bill, since three days have to pass first before a bill approved on second reading is considered for third reading.

If the House approves the proposed P7.2 trillion budget for 2027, as contained in House Bill No. 10858 or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on Wednesday, the earliest working day they can tackle the measure for third reading is on Oct. 12.

Last Sept. 25, the House wrapped up its plenary-level debates on the government agencies’ proposed budget, effectively ending the period of sponsorship and debates.

This period is among the several steps that a bill would go through before it is considered for second reading approval. After this, there will be a period of amendments, where committee amendments and institutional amendments will be heard.

Part of the amendments that will be raised during the plenary sessions include the changes proposed by the Budget Amendments Review Sub-committee (BARSc) – a sub-panel of the House committee on appropriations tasked to thresh out amendments in the GAB.

It appears that former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has been vindicated again, as a government official has confirmed the food company owned by lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, got funds over P319 million from China.

At Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, counsel for the prosecution Mae Divinagracia asked Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura about the total amount of inward financial transactions involving Carpio’s CALE88 Foods Corp., or money that came from mainland China and Hong Kong to the said company.

In response, Buenaventura said it is P319,326,770.41 – an amount that is close to the figure provided by Trillanes during a press briefing last Friday.

‘Let’s go to Table 5 of your summary, based on your summary, Table 5, and the CTRs (covered transactions report) and STRs (suspicious transactions report) of CALE88, how much was the entire value of remittances from China that CALE88 received?’ Divinagracia asked.

‘The entire value, your Honor, the aggregate amount placed under aggregate Letter c, aggregate PHP with subtotal a, what was indicated in our tabular summary is P319,326,770.41, your Honor. Based on the records, our tabular summary records,’ Buenaventura said.

”The title of Table 5 your Honors is the CTRs pertaining to inward remittances to CALE88 Foods Corporation from (a) China and (b) other countries, (Item 5) your Honor,’ he added.

Aside from this the table also showed that there are a total of 143 CTRs and three STRs on CALE88; 141 of the 143 CTRs were financial transactions from China and two from Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, all three STRs involved transactions from China.

Buenaventura, during the hearing of the House of Representatives’ committee on justice on the two impeachment complaints against Duterte, explained that covered transactions referred to bank transactions over P500,000, which banks report to AMLC.

Suspicious transactions, meanwhile, refer to those whose amounts are not determined, but were reported by banks because there is something questionable in terms of how funds were sourced.

There are other CTRs recorded by AMLC outside of China, including 13 from Ukraine, six each from Russia and Kazakhstan, four from Lithuania, two each from Tajikistan and South Africa, and one each from the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

All in all, there are 178 CTRs and three STRs, representing a total amount of P368.8 million worth of transactions.

Regarding the suspicious transactions from China, Buenaventura said that these were flagged because ‘there is no underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose, or economic justification.’

Trillanes signified his desire to testify before the Senate Impeachment Court, but eventually withdrew to supposedly relieve the prosecution panel of pressure. Instead, the former senator presented his would have been testimony during a press conference in San Juan last Friday.

One of the items that Trillanes discussed was the alleged P319 million that went into CALE88 – despite having a paid-up capital of P125,000 from 2021 to 2025, having low electricity costs, and no rank-and-file employees.

Trillanes said that the P319 million was sent by Chinese firms in tranches, from 2023 to 2025.

Meanwhile, the Tapang at Malasakit Foundation, which Duterte listed herself as an incorporator in her 2022 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, reportedly received a P150 million donation from the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines in 2019.

This is not the first time that numbers presented by Trillanes matched documents and reports from AMLC.

Last April 22, when the House committee on justice discussed the impeachment complaints against Duterte, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima randomly picked 18 financial transactions listed in Trillanes’ annexes and asked AMLC to check if this was part of their investigation.