Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

MALABON CITY-A new chapter in Malabon’s healthcare system officially began with the inauguration of the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital (SLRGH), now a Level 2 General Hospital, that will provide better health services to more Malabueños.

Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval led the blessing and inauguration ceremony along with Rep. Ricky Sandoval, who initiated the upgrade through House Bill No. 5791, Secretary of Health Teodoro J. Herbosa, and SLRGH officials.

‘With the collaboration of our Depoartment of Health and the initiative of our city’s former representative, Ricky Sandoval, the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital has been reopened – more modern this time, and able to provide more comprehensive services for more Malabueños. Now, along with the programs of the city government, our people are assured of better healthcare. We continue to pursue our goal of better services for all,’ Mayor Jeannie said.

The newly inaugurated six-story hospital along Panghulo Road boasts a 200-bed capacity, a major upgrade that will allow it to accommodate more patients. Equipped with modern facilities such as operating rooms, a labor room, an intensive care unit, a surgery consultation room, an emergency room, and a spacious lobby, the SLRGH ensures that Malabueños have access to comprehensive and quality healthcare.

SLRGH’s expansion was made possible through the initiative of Reo. Ricky Sandoval, who filed House Bill No. 5791 in the 17th Congress. The bill led to the allocation of funds for a wider hospital site and the construction of the new six-story facility under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. In 2019, through Republic Act 11289, the former San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital was officially converted into the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital, paving the way for its upgrade.

Because of this initiative by Sandoval, the hospital has increased its capacity from 10 beds to 200 beds, allowing it to serve more residents of the city.

As a Level 2 hospital, SLRGH offers departmentalized services, including:

Medicine

Diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses

Pediatrics

Child healthcare and wellness

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-Gyne)

Women’s health and childbirth services

Surgery

Safe and advanced surgical procedures

Anesthesiology

Specialized care before, during, and after operation.

It features modern equipment, including machines for colposcopy, MRI, CT scan, 2D echo, ultrasound, therapy, x-ray, a clinical laboratory, and other services under Level 2 classification that will improve the delivery of health services to residents. It will soon have a fully digital fluoroscopy machine, a fully digital C-arm machine, and a hystero-laparoscopy tower and instruments.

Founded in 1990 as the San Lorenzo Ruiz Municipal Hospital, the facility initially served as a small healthcare center before becoming the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital (SLRWH) in 1998. From a modest 10-bed Level 1 hospital, it has now transformed into a 200-bed modern general hospital-proof of Malabon’s continuous investment in healthcare.

Over the years, SLRGH has also earned national recognition such as being a PhilHealth-accredited Center for Quality hospital, an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Government Hospital, and a Red Orchid Hall of Famer Awardee.

The cancellation of the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list is now final and executory, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Tuesday.

This comes after Duterte Youth failed to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court to stop the poll body from enforcing its ruling.

‘The clerk of the Commission has just issued the certificate of finality and entry of judgment in this case. Therefore, expect that by tomorrow the Comelec en banc will discuss and determine who will benefit from the three seats vacated by the party-list,’ Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said.

Garcia noted that since the Supreme Court did not issue a TRO within 30 days, the Comelec en banc’s August 29 ruling canceling Duterte Youth’s registration has now attained finality.

‘This means the decision is final as far as the Comelec is concerned. The decision of the Comelec en banc can now be implemented,’ he added.

The Comelec earlier barred Duterte Youth from taking its seats in the 20th Congress after the en banc voted 5-1-1 to affirm the Second Division’s ruling in SPP No. 19-009 nullifying its registration.

The poll body held that the group failed to comply with mandatory requirements under the Party-List System Act, including publication and the conduct of public hearings.

To recall, the Duterte Youth garnered 2.33 million votes in the May 2025 midterm polls, the second-highest tally among party-list groups, which would have entitled it to three congressional seats had its registration not been canceled.

THE National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hopes to pick up from where it left off last year as it ushers its 101st season on Wednesday beginning with the centerpiece seniors basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Teams which played in last year’s Final Four will have a rematch right away on opening day as defending men’s champion and host school Mapua University battles Lyceum of the Philippines University and College of St. Benilde clashes with San Beda University.

The Cardinals-Pirates tussle is set at 2:30 p.m. followed by the Blazers-Red Lions match at 5 p.m.

An elaborate opening ceremony starting at 12 noon precedes the doubleheader with performances to be provided by songstress Thea Astley, Hannah Precillas, Naya Ambi and Aicelle Santos.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio will be the guest speaker when the country’s grand old collegiate league ushers its next 100 years.

‘Easy to recall, Season 101, and we’ll open on October 1. 10-1. So things like that. And with this year’s theme ‘Building Greatness,’ I’m sure for the past 100 years of NCAA, you’ve seen student-athletes rose to the elite level,’ Jose Rizal University athletic director Paul Supan said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

‘So in the next 100 years, in coordination with the PSC and member schools, we hope to sustain our contribution to the national training pool.’

Emilio Aguinaldo College Vice President for Administration Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo appeared with Supan in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Smart/PLDT and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

In line with the NCAA’s goal of providing the national training pool with potential members, Lorenzo said the collegiate league is introducing the Olympic sports of gymnastics, weightlifting, boxing and golf in this year’s calendar.

All four sports will initially be demonstration in nature to be played in the second semester.

‘The NCAA and PSC will form a partnership in terms of training and developing these grassroots athletes,’ Lorenzo said.

Supan said under NCAA rules, a demonstration sport that has been played for three straight seasons can be elevated to regular status subject to certain conditions.

Weightlifting (Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo) and gymnastics (Carlos Yulo) provided the three gold medals won by the country in the Olympics.

New format will also be adopted in basketball, whose games will be played in

The NCAA will stage the basketball games in its original home-the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

‘This is our home and most of us will acknowledge, this is where the NCAA started,’ said Supan, noting the juniors basketball that kicks off on Thursday will be played at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium between Mapua and Lyceum and St. Benilde and San Beda.

Other sports to be played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex are taekwondo, swimming, lawn tennis and hopefully, football, while track and field will be staged at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

THE tournament is young but already, three schools are showing signs of dominance in Season 88 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball championship.

Surprisingly, Ateneo is on top with an unbeaten 3-0 win-loss slate going into the fourth day of first round eliminations.

I can only think of Kymani Ladi as the significant power behind Ateneo’s resurgence.

At 6-foot-7, Ladi can shoot threes with the ease of a gazelle about to soar. The 23-year-old is from Vallejo, California, whose Filipino father is of Puerto Rican descent.

‘He is also a smart defender,’ Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin said of Ladi in a recent interview with Spin.ph columnist Homer D. Sayson. ‘He plays offensively, with perimeter skills. He is a smart defender.’

But while Ladi may emerge as Ateneo’s savior and prove to be the key to the Blue Eagles’ redemption mission, I have to concede that University of Santo Tomas is also armed this time with a reinforcement looking every bit as a complete package.

I refer to Collins Arkowe, the massively built Nigerian, whose 6-foot-10 frame is packed with 260 pounds of pulverizing power.

In just two games, Arkowe is already producing statement stats that could yet translate into serious title hopes for the Growling Tigers from España.

First, he debuted with 29 points and 17 rebounds in University of Santo Tomas’s (UST) ghastly 87-67 rout of defending champion University of the Philippines, playing practically unstoppable in the shaded lane and transforming the boards into his own private domain.

And then in his second game, he fired 20 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, sparking a rally that erased a 12-point deficit en route to UST’s 93-84 spanking of De La Salle.

At the rate he’s been playing, Arkowe might yet shoulder the Tigers into greater heights-if not into the championship-given that he’s got great back-up in both Nic Cabanero and Forthsky Padrigao.

In both wins of UST, Cabanero and Padrigao dished off their usual deadly sting-with Cabanero continuously carving baskets even on tight situations and Padrigao also firing triples and unleashing his trademark assists in abundance.

I won’t be surprised if, this early, UST coach Pido Jarencio is dreaming to finally end a title drought of 19 years-and duplicating his 2006 victory as a rookie coach.

Jarencio faces another acid test today when UST battles National University (2-0) in a battle of unbeaten teams at 4:30 p.m. at UST’s Quadricentennial Pavillion on España.

It could be an emotional game for Arkowe as he squares off for the first time with the school where he first honed his skills as a junior player at NU.

The game is preceded by the match between La Salle (1-1) and winless Far Eastern U (0-2) at 2 p.m.

THAT’S IT Also unfolding today is the duel between Luzon/ICTSI and VisMin junior teams at the windswept but beautiful The Country Club in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The boys and girls golf skirmishes in the Ryder Cup-style competition is in 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 age groups. Good luck to Francis Talion, who is Luzon team captain where his daughter, Levonne, is a mainstay in Luzon’s 15-18 division.

SECURITY Bank Corp. announced last Tuesday the appointment of Victor Lee Meng Teck as its next President and CEO.

A statement issued by the lender read that Lee is set to assume the role in early January 2026, following the completion of his work permit, visa and other regulatory requirements. He will succeed Sanjiv Vohra, who will continue to lead the bank until that time. Upon stepping down, Vohra will transition to the role of Senior Advisor to the Board.

Lee is a Singaporean banker with over 30 years of leadership experience throughout Asia. Most recently, he served as CEO of CIMB Singapore and CEO of Growth Markets for CIMB Bank Berhad.

At CIMB Singapore, Lee spearheaded a period of strong growth, doubling revenue and raising return on equity to nearly 20 percent, according to the lender. Under his leadership, the bank was recognized by The Straits Times as one of the Top 3 institutions for customer experience for three consecutive years (2023-2025). He also fostered a culture where employees felt more engaged and valued, with satisfaction levels rising significantly during his tenure, the statement read.

Vohra assumed leadership of the bank just months before the onset of the global pandemic. Despite unprecedented challenges, he led the organization through transformational change-strengthening digital and customer-first strategies, building a culture that has made Security Bank an Employer of Choice, advancing its sustainability agenda, and positioning the bank for long-term profitability.

‘We’re grateful to Sanjiv for his steady leadership during one of the most challenging periods in recent history. His vision and dedication have left the bank stronger, more resilient, and well-prepared for the future,’ Security Bank Chairman Cirilo P. Noel was quoted in the statement as saying.

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. has officially commissioned its Cupang Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) in Muntinlupa City, which is now treating wastewater from Barangays Alabang, Cupang, and Bayanan.

Located in Brgy. Cupang, the facility has a treatment capacity of 46 million liters per day (MLD), supporting Maynilad’s long-term strategy to expand sewerage coverage and protect local waterways by removing harmful pollutants from wastewater prior to safe discharge.

To ensure full alignment with evolving environmental regulations, Maynilad has also initiated the upgrading of the facility to comply with the stricter effluent standards set under Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2016-08, as amended by DAO 2021-19 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). These standards prescribe limits on key wastewater parameters to safeguard public health and the environment.

‘We are not only expanding our wastewater treatment capacity-we’re also future-proofing our facilities to comply with the latest environmental standards,’ said Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez. ‘These investments reflect our commitment to sustainability and regulatory compliance as our communities continue to grow.’

The upgrade reflects Maynilad’s proactive approach to building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. The company has kept the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) informed throughout the process. While DAO compliance was not part of the facility’s original scope, it is now being integrated to ensure long-term regulatory alignment.

The Cupang WRF is one of two major wastewater treatment facilities recently completed in Muntinlupa. Along with the nearby Tunasan WRF, it significantly increases the city’s sewerage treatment capacity, contributing to Maynilad’s broader mission of improving sanitation conditions and promoting environmental protection across the West Zone.

Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is a concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the municipalities of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has expanded its internal anti-corruption probe to now include not only flood control projects, but also farm-to-market roads, according to Malacañang.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the pronouncement after the Department of Agriculture (DA) ordered on Monday an audit of ghost or non-existent farm-to-market roads, which were built from 2021 to 2025.

She said DPWH Secretary Vivencio ‘Vince’ B. Dizon has also initiated their separate probe on this type of public works.

‘I also spoke with Secretary Vince this morning, and he said that they are also looking into this because a solution [to this issue] should be found as soon as possible,’ the Presidential Communications Office undersecretary said in Filipino in a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The anomalous flood control projects are also being investigated by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

Marcos created the ICI through Executive Order (EO) No. 94 to investigate sub-standard and non-existent public works then recommend to concerned government agencies the prosecution of the involved individuals or parties.

Less than a month since the ICI was formed, its special adviser, Baguio Mayor City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong resigned due to possible conflict of interest between his role in the fact-finding panel and his duty as a local chief executive.

On Monday, Castro announced the designation by the President of retired Philippine National Police Chief, Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the new Special Adviser and Investigator of the ICI.

Castro said Azurin was picked for the said position despite his involvement in a drug-related issue during his stint as PNP chief based on his experience and skills as an investigator, as well as ‘not being a politician.’

She also noted no case was filed against Azurin related to his alleged involvement in the cover-up in the arrest of a police sergeant, who yielded 990 kilos of shabu or methamphetamine in 2022. Azurin denied any involvement in the issue.

A LAWMAKER on Tuesday warned that Co’s resignation should not erase accountability for alleged abuses tied to his party-list group, Ako Bicol, saying it exposes systemic weaknesses in Congress.

Cebu Rep. Duke Frasco alleged that Co, as a shareholder of construction firms, profited from billions of pesos worth of projects inserted in the national budget during his term as Appropriations Committee chair. He argued that by resigning, Co evaded sanction from the House but left his party list unaffected, a move he described as ‘impunity.’

But Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin pushed back, calling Frasco’s remarks ‘mere conjecture’ unsupported by evidence or legal findings. He invoked the constitutional presumption of innocence, stressing that no case has yet been filed against Co.

‘The resignation of Cong. Zaldy Co should not, and cannot, erase his crimes, nor absolve Ako Bicol Partylist, the vehicle through which these abuses were committed,’ Frasco said.

‘While Co walks away, his conduit, Ako Bicol Partylist, keeps its seat, benefits, and power as if nothing happened. This is not accountability. This is impunity,’ Frasco stressed.

Citing Section 141 (h) of the House Rules, Frasco said, ‘A Member shall not acquire or receive any personal pecuniary interest in any specific business enterprise which will be directly and particularly favored or benefited by any law or resolution authored by the Member that is approved or adopted by Congress during the Member’s term.’

‘Accountability must extend beyond individuals. If consequences are limited only to a nominee, Congress sets a dangerous precedent: that members can violate rules, resign to avoid expulsion, and leave their party untouched. To protect the integrity of our institutions, Ako Bicol Partylist must face investigation, sanction, and, if warranted, disqualification,’ he added.

Garbin, however, that under the 1987 Constitution, Co enjoys the presumption of innocence unless and until charges are filed and proven before a competent court. ‘To prejudge Zaldy Co in the absence of due process would be a dangerous erosion of the rule of law itself,’ Garbin added.

He added that resignation does not shield Co from investigation, citing jurisprudence that public officials remain liable for acts committed in office even after stepping down.

Garbin also dismissed allegations of conflict of interest, saying Co had long divested from any construction-related businesses prior to assuming office. He further clarified that the insertion of funds into the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is a legitimate congressional process.

‘Even as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Zaldy Co is not powerful enough to railroad provisions of the budget according to his sole wishes. The GAA undergoes rigorous deliberation in both Houses of Congress, bicameral scrutiny, and final approval by the President,’ he said.

Garbin said the party-list should not be dragged into the controversy, noting its separate juridical personality under the Party-list System Act. ‘To punish Ako Bicol for unproven allegations against one nominee would disenfranchise the millions of Bicolanos who vested their trust in Ako Bicol,’ Garbin said.

Meanwhile, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendana has called on Co to come home and confront the allegations leveled against him, stressing that the issue now affects not only Co but also the entire House of Representatives.

‘He should come back and face these allegations. This is no longer just his personal issue-it has become an institutional matter that taints the House as a whole,’ Cendana said.

There is definitely growth outside the National Capital Region (NCR) for the country’s property sector. Moreover, there is a strong demand for horizontal (house and lot/lot only development) units.

Joey Roi Bondoc, research head of Colliers Philippines, says seasoned investors would really look for potential sites outside Metro Manila because of the low yields in Metro Manila. ‘If you’re banking on yields, the returns are very low, around 3 to 4 percent,’ Bondoc told the BusinessMirror in an interview held in Makati City.

‘And if you are an astute investor at this point, it doesn’t make sense to still invest in Metro Manila, because prices aren’t really declining and the rents have softened substantially because of the exodus of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. With the yields being very low, you’re now banking on the price appreciation of the lot only,’ Bondoc adds.

Bondoc says the competitive pricing makes the investment proposition in the provinces, particularly the lot-only segment, far more compelling. For instance, there’s a project like Santa Lucia Land Inc.’s Beverly Place in San Fernando, Pampanga, that has shown strong potential for price increases, which is a more sustainable investment right now.

The demand outside of Metro Manila is fundamentally different-it’s driven by the end-user, not the speculative investor. Furthermore, Bondoc says the shift towards areas outside the National Capital Region (AONCR) and lot only are sustained price appreciation, greater push for sustainability, bigger and more open space, improving road network to and from Metro Manila, and vacancy in Metro Manila condominiums remains elevated and its yields have gone down.

According to Colliers, the average take-up rates of H and L units end-Q2 2025 ranged from 86 to 98 percent. On a per region basis, Southern Luzon posted the highest take-up with 94 percent followed closely by Central Visayas (93 percent) while Davao Region and Western Visayas were tied in third spot with 92 percent and Central Luzon was in fourth with 91 percent.

Cavite bagged the largest takeout with 155,000 followed by Laguna (89,000), Batangas (84,000), Pampanga (65,000), and Cebu (61,000).

For the lot-only market in AONCR, Colliers Philippines reported that the average take-up rate of lot-only units in the end Q2 2025 ranged from 81 to 96 percent. Central Visayas led in the regional take-up with 94 percent. Southern Luzon were tied in the second spot with 93 percent while Davao Region and Western Visayas garnered 92 and 83 percent respectively.

Batangas got 31,000 take-outs followed by Cavite (30,000), Laguna (28,000), Pampanga (24,000) and Cebu (22,000).

Sta. Lucia sees opportunities outside NCR.

The Marbella Lake Residences in Victoria, Laguna, and Sta. Monica Lake Residences in Manaoag, Pangasinan are prime investment opportunities from Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Furthermore, the fundamental value of these properties lies in the lake community concept itself. Both developments offer a mix of residential lots (including prime lakefront/lakeview lots) and commercial lots, providing diverse avenues for business and capital appreciation.

The soon to rise Marbella Lake Residences is the first lake community in Victoria, Laguna and occupies an estimated 73 hectares of land. Incorporating the gifts of nature in the development, Marbella Lake Residences is designed to be a verdant community where future residents are engaged to spend more time in outdoor recreation and embrace prime modern living elevated with greener features.

The prominent feature of the lake community is the man-made lake area built with a lighthouse. While other amenities include a community clubhouse built with a swimming pool, function hall and multipurpose basketball court. Home buyers have a variety of options with its selection of promising lots which are either regular lots or lakefront lots.

As the first lake community in Victoria, Laguna, Marbella is designed as a verdant community that encourages outdoor recreation. Prices vary according to lot type and location; and can range from P12,800 up to P25,200 per square meters. Select residential lots are also being offered at a discounted rate of P10,800 until December 31, 2025.

Meanwhile, Sta. Monica Lake Residences is Sta. Lucia’s first development in Manaoag, Pangasinan-the ‘Pilgrimage Center of the North’-a location that gives the community a strong cultural and historical identity. The property features a lake, lighthouse, and open jogging paths, alongside a multipurpose clubhouse with a function hall and basketball court

Price range starts from P 8,000 to P20,500 per square meter, offering competitive entry prices for investors.

Investing either in Marbella or Sta. Monica Lake Residences means securing a property in a meticulously planned, nature-focused community with a high potential for appreciation, supported by the extensive track record of Sta. Lucia Land Inc.

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas and National University aim to join idle Ateneo atop the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 88 basketball standings on Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena.

The game starts at 4:30 p.m.

Eyes will be on Nigerian reinforcement Collins Akowe, a former NU Bullpup, who averaged 24.5 points and 18 rebounds in the victories over defending champion University of the Philippines and last year’s runner-up La Salle.

The Tigers are eyeing their first 3-0 start since 2015, the year UST last reached the finals.

Also expected to deliver are Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabañero.

NU coach Jeff Napa says the Bulldogs need to work on a lot of things to challenge for the semifinals.

‘Number one is consistency,’ Napa said.

The Bulldogs will lean heavily on Senegalese center Omar John, who averages 12 points and 5.5 rebounds.

In the 2 p.m. game, La Salle tries to get back on track when it takes on Far Eastern University.

The Green Archers split their first two outings, while the Tamaraws are still winless after two games.