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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday urged the vice governors in the country to unite and help in his campaign against corruption in government.

‘The unscrupulous abuse of power and greed must come to an end,’ the President told the newly elected and appointed officials of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines (LVGP) during their oath-taking ceremony at Malacañang.

‘Many Filipinos are dismayed because of the piling issues that overwhelm them every day,’ the President said in Filipino.

‘Our people are exhausted, they are disappointed, they are angry. And as I have said before, their rage is valid. It is born from years of frustration at a government characterized by systemic dysfunction and unfulfilled promises,’ he added.

Acknowledging the deep frustrations of ordinary Filipinos, Marcos stated that the people’s dissatisfaction stemmed from years of institutional neglect and the government’s repeated failures to deliver on its promises of reform.

The President urged the local executives not to ignore the public clamor that is growing louder.

‘Let us not dismiss that anger. Let us confront it. Let us be humble and provide concrete solutions,’ he said.

‘We already know what is wrong so we must make it right,’ Marcos added. ‘Reforming our government is the only way we have to win back the trust of our people.’

Congressional inquiries have found that trillions of pesos were embezzled by different government officials and contractors from the thousands of government flood control projects funded by taxpayers’ money.

This resulted in either substandard, or ‘ghost’ (nonexistent) public works projects that have failed in protecting the lives of Filipinos from flooding brought by stronger and greater numbers of successive typhoons and disasters.

Marcos ordered the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate all the anomalous government infrastructure projects in the past 10 years, and recommend the filing of charges to all those involved.

In the past weeks, Filipinos from different walks of life and political affiliations staged demonstrations across the country to condemn what the President himself called to be deeply entrenched and systemic corruption in the government.

As vice governors, they shall be the presiding officers of their respective provincial councils that pass ordinances and resolutions to create programs and policies that will help their constituents.

According to Marcos, although the vice governors come from different provinces and political parties, they should all be united in their commitment to serve the Filipino people.

‘Let us prove that true public service is not about political colors. It is found in the heart, in the conscience, and, most importantly, in action, the President said in Filipino.

‘I know we have it in us to provide our people with the service they rightfully deserve,’ he added.

At last week’s hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee on anomalous flood control projects, Orly Regala Guteza, a witness presented by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, testified that he delivered suitcases containing money to the residence of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Rizaldy Co.

Shortly after he submitted his affidavit to the committee, lawyer Petchie Rose Espera, whose signature and notarial seal were in the document, issued a statement denying ‘.notarizing, signing or participating in the preparation of the said document.’

She further said the signature and notarial details attributed to her were falsified and unauthorized.

That disclaimer raised serious doubts about the truthfulness of Guteza’s statements, including the integrity of the people who had a hand in his sudden appearance in the hearing.

In an obvious effort at damage control, his handlers said that even if the notarization was falsified, his statements deserve consideration because he was sworn to by the committee before he read his affidavit.

Credibility

It is apparent that the attempt to make it appear that his statements were made under oath before a notary public was aimed at giving them the credibility usually accorded to or is enjoyed by notarized documents.

The common perception of those documents is that their contents are truthful or worthy of belief because their affiants know that they could be held liable for perjury if their statements were later proven false.

The unabashed falsification of a notarial certification submitted in a proceeding that had drawn and continues to draw public attention has added to the already diminished level of confidence in the trustworthiness of documents submitted to government offices and business establishments, in particular, banks and financial institutions.

In earlier times, when official and commercial papers that bore the signatures of the parties were submitted, the genuineness of the signatures was presumed and no additional documents were needed to authenticate them.

Not anymore.

The proliferation of fake and falsified documents, which has been made easy through the use of computer-generated signatures and other AI (artificial intelligence) techniques, no longer makes that trusting attitude acceptable.

Today, it is standard operating procedure that signatures in commercial or business documents must be accompanied by a photocopy of a government-issued identification card (or sometimes two depending on the significance of the document) of the signatory that bears his or her signature.

Signed thrice

And below that, the signatory must sign three times and indicate the date of his or her signing. These requirements are aimed at ensuring that the document was really signed by the person whose signature appears on it.

These requirements apply even if the document is notarized by a notary public or sworn to before a government employee who is authorized to authenticate documents.

With that incident in the Senate hearing, notarization may cease to be looked at as a reliable measure of the truthfulness or credibility of statements made in notarized documents. It looks like the threat of being held liable for perjury or making false statements under oath no longer makes telling the truth an essential element in the preparation and submission of sworn statements.

This would be unnerving for transactions that, for example, involve huge amounts of money or require compliance with some obligations in long-term contracts that are based on commitments made under oath.

In light of the misuse of the notarial process, some businesses cannot be faulted if they adopt stricter rules in the submission of documents that are required to be duly notarized.

That may include giving a copy of the notary’s notarial commission to make sure he or she is authorized to perform the notarial act and, like the signatories, a photocopy of a government-issued identification that bears his or her signature.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bukidnon province has reminded business establishments to abide by the 60-day price freeze on basic goods following the September 17 flash floods that devastated at least eight barangays here.

DTI Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist Christopher Diaz said the price freeze will remain until November 17, 2025, unless the state of calamity declared by the local government is lifted earlier.

The city government declared a state of calamity on September 19.

To ensure compliance, DTI-Bukidnon issued letters of inquiry to 10 major stores in the city after observing price changes, though no significant hikes are expected.

DTI urged consumers to report retailers selling above the prevailing prices.

Items covered by the price freeze include canned goods, milk (condensed, evaporated, and powdered), coffee, soap, noodles, bottled water, and iodized salt.

However, milk products classified as supplements or nutritional milk are excluded.

Diaz clarified that medicines, liquified petroleum gas, fuel, fish, and meat fall under the jurisdiction of other agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Energy.

Meanwhile, Josh Rey Caparoso of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO, who heads the rapid damage and needs assessment, said they are still receiving more information about flood-damaged vehicles, along with infrastructures, farms, houses, livestock, appliances, and other valuables.

He noted that figures continue to change due to the extensive destruction, with the final report expected this week.

As of September 29, five fatalities have been confirmed: Jaya Taña, 27; King Winston Adran, 13; Larry Labay, 53; Princess Kyarah Dacoycoy, 17; and Deejay Ark Taña Viña, 4.

Search and retrieval operations are ongoing for three missing individuals: Johnny Borbon, 63; Dina Consolacion, 48; and Andrea Vistal

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) amid the ongoing investigation of alleged anomalies in flood control projects across the country.

The MOA signing on Tuesday was led by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice and ICI Chairperson Andres Reyes and AMLC Chair Eli Remolona Jr. at the ICI office in Taguig City.

Representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Insurance Commission also took part in the MOA signing.

Reyes described the MOA signing as a ‘firm declaration of our shared resolve to root out corruption and defend the trust of the Filipino people.’

‘It is only through cooperation that we can confront the many faces of crime, graft, and the darker aspects of governance,’ the ICI chair said.

‘As you may know, the ICI is still very young. We have been in existence for only 15 days, with just four lawyer-volunteers carrying the weight of a tall task. Yet despite our size, our mandate is broad: to investigate irregularities, demand accountability, and restore integrity in public infrastructure. This is why the assistance of the AMLC is both timely and indispensable,’ he added.

The ICI is currently conducting a series of hearings in connection with their ongoing probe on the irregularities of flood control projects across the country.

For this Tuesday, contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya attended the ICI hearing for their alleged involvement in the said infrastructure anomalies.

Meanwhile, the AMLC earlier said it may look into banks after a congressional probe flagged large cash transactions connected to a flood control scandal. /das

Amid the fiasco on flood control projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) have inked a partnership to use blockchain technology to ensure transparency and accountability in national infrastructure projects.

In a signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Tuesday, the DPWH and BCP committed to launch Integrity Chain, a blockchain-powered platform which aims to provide a real-time public dashboard that tracks progress on infrastructure projects, such as the bidding, planning, and awarding.

The DPWH also said that this platform also allows the public to scrutinize the projects and report anomalies and tampering of records.

‘As part of the pilot, BCP will provide the DPWH with a one-year complimentary subscription to the Integrity Chain, which includes technical support, training, and cybersecurity measures in full compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012,’ the DPWH said in a statement.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon also shared that the pilot implementation will begin with the foreign-assisted projects as their funding and documents are already vetted by multilateral and international organizations. He also said that the implementation for locally-funded projects will follow.

‘If we use this, we will be able to catch those who are responsible. It is important to partner with the private sector because they will help us. They will serve as our eyes. Because it is impossible to monitor what’s inside the DPWH, we need to seek help outside the agency,’ Dizon noted.

Dizon also said that he expects ‘greater transparency’ now that the agency has partnered with the private sector for the use of blockchain technology.

‘This is a very important step, the use of blockchain is a very important step to monitor each and every step of the process of each department, from the central office down to the regional and district offices,’ he said in an ambush interview.

With this, Dizon said that tampering of records will become ‘virtually impossible’ as documents and transactions are shared with everyone in the platform.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure previously denounced reports of ‘widespread destruction and tampering’ of DPWH personnel of documents related to anomalous flood control projects.

ICI Chairperson and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr warned that ‘any attempt to destroy, falsify, or conceal them is a grave offense that carries both administrative and criminal liability.’

What is blockchain technology?

BCP President Donald Lim described blockchain technology as a ‘consensus mechanism’ which is a decentralized digital ledger that records all transactions to ensure check and balance.

‘Like on a budget, you can’t change the numbers because if anyone steals from it, we will know who is responsible. If someone inserts a budget, we will know who did that. If someone amends, we will be informed. Everyone will see. It’s a recording of a ledger,’ Lim said in a separate interview.

When asked if connivance is possible in manipulating records using the technology, Lim said that it’s difficult to do so. He noted that the Integrity Chain involves private sectors that will monitor the infrastructure projects.

‘It’s difficult to collude because you need to convince all organizations to not approve or approve it. There’s a technical blockchain but there’s also human blockchain that we created today,’ he added.

He said that the Integrity Chain will be funded by a ‘blind trust’ where the organizations will ask funding from different private corporations.

‘To ensure that there will be no undue influence, there will be blind trust. No one will know who’s contributing,’ Lim noted.

Lim also shared that they will set up a technical working group in the coming week, which will be monitored by the DPWH.

During the MOA signing, presidents and leaders of private businesses, academe, civic, professional and faith-based organizations pledged to use their credibility and networks to ensure the success of the Integrity Chain.

‘By making every peso traceable, immutable, and observable, we create a system where accountability is no longer optional but guaranteed. Through this pilot with the DPWH and the legislative momentum in Congress, we aim to demonstrate that when the private sector and government act together, integrity can prevail,’ the organizations’ statement of support read. /cb

The Social Security System (SSS) in Cotabato province has issued ‘show cause’ orders against at least 88 business establishment owners for their failure to remit the collected social security contributions from their workers.

The issuance of a show cause order is part of the state insurer’s ‘Run After Contribution Evaders’ (RACE) program in Cotabato province after confirming that 88 business owners failed to perform their obligations of remitting to the SSS the collected employees’ share and their counterpart.

On Monday, Sept. 29, lawyer Glenn Mar P. Acas of the SSS Mindanao South Legal Department led the conduct of ‘KaltaSSS-Collect Program’ in Kidapawan City to ensure workers are covered by SSS.

The ‘KaltaSSS-Collect Program’ is an SSS initiative providing social security coverage to private employees and government job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers, classifying them as self-employed SSS members.

It aims to ensure that private employers fully adhere to their obligations under Republic Act (RA) 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.

Acas said the show cause orders were issued earlier to 76 employers for the past three months, while on Monday, Sept. 29, SSS issued orders 12 business owners for them to settle their obligations under RA 11119.

He said of the 76 employers with show cause orders since June this year, only 42 percent or 32 employers, have responded positively and settled their delinquencies.

Acas said SSS is patiently giving employers all the opportunities to comply with the law. A 15-day grace period is given to employers to rectify their violations.

The SSS official said the state insurer is determined to resort to legal remedies if the delinquent employers continue to ignore the opportunities given to them.

Jose Froilan Garcia, SSS Kidapawan branch manager, assured SSS members that benefits due for affected workers will not be affected despite delayed remittances from their employers.

‘We encouraged them to settle (with the SSS) rather than pay a bigger amount of penalties,’ Garcia told Church-run Radio DXND.

He said the benefits will continue while administrative remedies and the adjudication process with delinquent employers are underway.

The RACE program identifies businesses with violations that include non-registration, non-production of records, non-reporting of hired employees, and non-remittance of employee contributions

Lee Dong-gun, a 45-year-old South Korean actor, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a rare ailment, during his appearance on the latest episode of a popular TV show.

The Sunday episode of ‘My Little Old Boy,’ an SBS show following single celebrities who are past the age conventionally considered a prime marriage age, featured Lee visiting the hospital for severe symptoms in his eye.

He told the doctor that he had had repeated onset of the inflammation of the uveitis, a form of eye inflammation that affects the middle layer of eye tissues, for over a year, which the doctor said was odd.

The doctor suggested that the actor is possibly suffering from ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease characterized by the spine being less flexible and possibly causing some of the bones in the spine to fuse. The diagnosis was backed by severe inflammation in the sacroiliac joint, which showed up in the X-ray images.

Ankylosing spondylitis does not have a known cure, but the symptoms can be managed to improve physical functions and slow its progress. Treatment includes a combination of physical therapy, exercise, and medication, and the actor was told to manage his diet and refrain from alcohol and tobacco.

Varying data suggest that around 0.1 percent to 1.4 percent of the global population may have AS. As of 2023, 55,375people in South Korea were suffering from the disease, which accounted for a little more than 0.1 percent of the 51.7 million population in the country at the time.

About 28.2 percent of the AS patients were in their 40s, followed by 22 percent in their 30s, and 12.9 percent in their 20s. It was a lot more common among men (40,208) compared to women (15,167).

Lee, who blossomed as an actor after a failed singing career, shot to stardom via his role in the 2004 drama ‘Lovers in Paris.’ His career spans across film, TV, and musicals.

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has asked why it seems the government is only enthusiastic in its flood control investigations when the matter involves his home city, reiterating the absence of ghost projects under their watch.

Duterte on Tuesday asked why the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) why they seem to lack funds for accommodation and transportation when probing other areas.

‘NBI, CIDG, Ombudsman, NEDA – why are you only enthusiastic when probing Davao? But when it involves different areas, you lack the transportation budget and accommodation expenses. If you are really anti-corruption, find ways. There are planes, you have the budget, you have the mandate – use it,’ Duterte said in Filipino in a statement.

‘In Davao City, you scrutinized every area – papers, projects, audit until the last nail. The result? There are no ghost and substandard projects. You just grew tired of grandstanding. But when it comes to other areas, you have selective amnesia. What’s that, are you allergic to powerful surnames?’ he asked in Filipino.

Duterte, son of long-time Davao mayor and former president Rodrigo Duterte, said that the investigations of flood control projects should not be used as ‘props’ for publicity.

‘If the government and the independent agencies are really serious in terms of clearing flood control projects, they should stop using the investigation as props for publicity,’ he said in Filipino.

‘Do not use Davao as props just to show that you are ‘brave.’ If you will stand against the improper use of funds, do it for all regions – including areas that are hard to address,’ he added.

This is not the first time that the Dutertes have criticized the administration’s flood control project. Last August, Duterte’s brother and acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said in an interview with former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is turning calls for an investigation into a public relations stunt.

Instead of publicizing the investigations, Mayor Duterte said that the Chief Executive should file cases if he is serious.

In response, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. urged acting Mayor Duterte to ask his brother – Rep. Duterte – as to where the flood control funds for the city went and how it was used.

Abante said Rep. Duterte should know how flood control funds were used, noting that the city still experiences flooding despite huge allocations in the past.

Hours after Abante made this statement, Rep. Duterte maintained that projects allocated to his district were ‘properly implemented and completed.’

In response to Abante’s challenge, Duterte said that he is directing the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district and regional offices to release the records.

‘On Benny Abante’s challenge to Mayor Baste Duterte regarding the flood control projects in Davao City, let me be clear, all projects allocated to my district are properly implemented and completed. If he really wants to know the exact figures, I am directing DPWH District and Regional Offices to provide him with the official data and amounts,’ Rep. Duterte said.

Furthermore, the Davao lawmaker said that the lawmakers should not mind floods in Davao as they subside – unlike in other areas which allegedly seem like swimming pools.

This is not the first time that floods in Davao City were highlighted by lawmakers. In August 2024, House members from the 19th Congress called out the Dutertes’ sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, for her criticism of the current administration’s flood response.

The provincial government of Camarines Sur, in partnership with Google’s Gemini, has officially launched the Artificial Intelligence Academy on Monday, the first of its kind in the province.

Powered by Google’s Gemini as its main platform, the AI Academy has welcomed its first batch of over 300 participants from various sectors, including government employees, educators, and youth leaders.

They are now equipped with foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, aimed at improving communication skills, teaching methods, and digital literacy.

Gov. Luis Raymund ‘LRay’ Villafuerte Jr. called the initiative a ‘big break’ for Camarines Sur and a step toward preparing the province for a tech-driven future.

‘It’s an honor to partner with one of the biggest technology companies in the world-Google Philippines. Through Google’s Gemini Academy, we are equipping every CamSur resident with new knowledge and skills in AI. Under my leadership, our province will be AI-ready and highly skilled from classrooms to communities,’ Villafuerte told the Inquirer.

He also shared that each municipality in the province will soon host its own training sessions. These sessions aim to make AI tools more accessible and practical by providing apps and software that simplify day-to-day tasks.

Gilbert Sadsad, director of the Department of Education in Bicol, expressed full support for the program, noting its positive potential across multiple sectors.

Of the 357 participants, the majority came from the provincial government, academe, information offices, and other multi-sectoral groups.

Rosean Presado, an instructor from a community college, said joining the training was a great opportunity.

‘Many of my questions about AI were answered. This experience will definitely have a positive impact not just on me, but also on my students,’ she said.

Myko Garcia, a local radio reporter in CamSur, shared the same sentiment.

‘I’m thankful to be part of the training. I’ve gained new knowledge that has helped improve my communication skills, especially in pronunciation and grammar,’ he said.

The AI Academy is seen as a pioneering initiative in the region, aiming to democratize access to artificial intelligence tools and training at the grassroots level./coa

Alert police officers manning a checkpoint in Maasim, Sarangani province, arrested a man on Monday for illegally transporting 25 endangered bird species, police reported.

Col. Jerone Orville Panganiban, acting provincial director of the Sarangani Police Provincial Office, said personnel from the 2nd Sarangani Provincial Mobile Force Company (SPMFC) and the Maasim Municipal Police Station intercepted a Mitsubishi Montero Sport during a routine checkpoint operation at Sitio Seguil, Barangay Tinoto.

The driver, identified as ‘Junior,’ 34, a resident of Digos City, could not present documents to legalize his transport of endangered wildlife.

Panganiban said the police verified with Forest Protection Officer (FPO) Jalal Pantao of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), who confirmed the suspect had no transport permit.

The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Kiamba documented a total of 25 hornbills, comprising six Mindanao hornbills and 19 Rufous hornbills. The DENR later confirmed these as Mindanao Wreathed hornbills and Southern Rufous hornbills, Panganiban said.

The hornbills were immediately transported and turned over to the DENR-12 Regional Wildlife Rescue Center for documentation and safekeeping.

Panganiban said CENRO Kiamba is preparing to file charges against the arrested violator for violating Republic Act 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

‘The Sarangani Police Provincial Office, in close coordination with DENR, reiterates its commitment to protecting the environment and upholding wildlife laws to preserve biodiversity in the region,’ Panganiban said. (PNA)/coa