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The Department of Agriculture (DA) is taking decisive steps to help revitalize the export-driven banana industry battered by pests and market hurdles.

Through its High Value Crops Development Program, the DA is distributing 106,000 banana planting materials for farm expansion and rejuvenation, along with 120,000 units of organic fertilizer to improve soil health.

The agency will also deploy more than 215,000 biological control agents to protect plant health and reduce postharvest losses.

These include Trichoderma, a type of beneficial fungi that protects plants from diseases.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the country needs to undertake research on disease tolerance, breeding strategies and new technologies such as gene editing to secure the industry’s long-term viability.

Davao

According to Tiu Laurel, the sector continues to grapple with Fusarium wilt tropical race 4, also known as Panama disease, which has affected approximately 15,500 hectares of banana plantations in the Davao Region.

‘The Department of Agriculture is firmly committed to supporting our banana farmers and exporters in addressing this challenge,’ he added.

Apart from the plant disease, the industry is also facing challenges in the global scene. Tiu Laurel said the Philippines had been slapped with higher tariffs for banana exports to Japan than those from Vietnam, Mexico and Peru.

Tiu Laurel also said Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines as China’s top banana supplier.

‘Unless these inequities are addressed, our market share will remain at risk,’ the agriculture chief said.

Tiu Laurel said last month the country was seeking to update the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) to widen market access for local agricultural products.

Jpepa

He had hoped that Philippine bananas would be able to enter the Japanese market tax-free through Jpepa, which liberalizes and facilitates trade in goods and services between both countries and increase investment opportunities.

At present, local bananas are slapped with an 8-percent import tariff during the summer season and 18 percent during winter.

On the other hand, neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam enjoy zero or preferential tariffs on banana exports to Japan.

A report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations showed that the Philippines shipped 2.3 million metric tons of bananas in 2024, making it the world’s third largest banana exporter.

Per the report, the country’s banana exports took a hit from the continued presence of Panama disease and geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea.

The Philippine economy likely grew below the government’s target in the third quarter, as an investigation into questionable infrastructure projects slowed public spending and a series of typhoons disrupted business activity.

Already, Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development struck a more cautious tone ahead of the release of gross domestic product (GDP) data on Nov. 7, citing multiple headwinds both at home and abroad.

‘I am not as optimistic as I used to be, given the data that has been coming out in recent weeks,’ Balisacan told reporters on Monday. ‘The general economic environment, both internal and external, might have played a role. But again, we expect those to be temporary.’

Balisacan earlier said the Marcos administration remained committed to its growth target of 5.5 to 6.5 percent for 2025, expressing confidence that the lower end of the band was still attainable.

The government aims to keep infrastructure investment at 5 to 6 percent of GDP-spending seen as crucial to meeting President Marcos’ growth targets until the end of his term.

But a deepening probe into anomalous flood control projects had triggered heightened scrutiny of government spending, delaying some public works. At the same time, the widening corruption scandal has weighed on business confidence-raising concerns that the fallout could dampen investment activity.

Junjie Huang, an economist at Deutsche Bank, said in a commentary that economic growth may have eased to 5.2 percent in the third quarter, from 5.5 percent in the second.

‘This primarily reflects our projected slowdown in government spending and investment amid the ongoing domestic governance concerns,’ Huang said, adding that household spending likely held up, supported by ‘real income gains from the low inflation environment.’

Raymond Yeung, an economist at ANZ Research, offered a slightly higher estimate of 5.3 percent, albeit still below the official target. He noted that private consumption-historically accounting for about 70 percent of GDP-may have softened based on recent indicators.

Better outlook

‘Both passenger car sales and consumer goods imports showing signs of softening,’ Yeung wrote in a note to clients. ‘Intermediate goods imports declined for a second consecutive quarter, pointing to weaker underlying demand.’

Analysts at Capital Economics in London, meanwhile, said growth likely held steady at 5.5 percent in the third quarter, describing the latest activity data as ‘a mixed bag.’

‘Growth in both exports and remittances appears to have cooled slightly. But the modest drag from the external sector is likely to have been offset by a pickup in domestic demand,’ they said.

‘Steady interest rate cuts from the central bank will have been a key factor supporting consumption,’ they added.

Sarah Tan, an economist at Moody’s Analytics, struck a more upbeat tone, forecasting a 5.9-percent expansion in the three months through September, driven by resilient consumer spending.

‘Lower borrowing costs, subdued inflation, and healthy remittance inflows will be part of that story,’ Tan said. ‘Exports should lend a hand, as they were relatively resilient through July and August.’

There is no need for a law to institutionalize and put more teeth into the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the super body created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to probe the anomalous flood control projects and other infrastructure programs in the past decade, according to a former solicitor general.

Florin Hilbay, who served as top government counsel during the administration of former President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, said the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) should be at the forefront of investigating and prosecuting graft and corruption in the government.

‘Between the Office of the Ombudsman (a constitutional body with power to investigate and prosecute) and the Department of Justice (which embodies the Chief Executive’s inherent power to investigate and prosecute), the government already has the full institutional capacity and authority to go after all erring public officials, including those involved in infrastructure/flood control/ghost projects,’ he said in a Facebook post on Monday.

In September, President Marcos issued Executive Order (EO) No. 94, creating the three-member ICI, which is tasked to recommend the filing of appropriate criminal, civil, and administrative cases before the Ombudsman, DOJ, Office of the President, and the Civil Service Commission.

Hilbay’s remarks came as different sectors and lawmakers reiterated their calls for President Marcos to certify as urgent bills filed in both the House of Representatives and Senate by granting more powers to the existing ICI, which is limited by executive powers.

Certifying the bill as urgent allows the House and the Senate, respectively, to approve a bill on second and third reading on the same day, bypassing the usual three-day waiting period.

President Marcos was open to these measures, but he has not lifted a finger to prioritize these bills.

Marcos noted that the ICI was performing well despite its limitations. He also expected petitions questioning the legality of the ICI, but he maintained that EO 94 had firm legal grounds.

Hilbay said: ‘The idea that the government needs to pass another law (and spend more money) to make the ICI more independent and powerful is simultaneously constitutionally ignorant and impractical.’

‘No institution has ever become independent simply because ‘the law’ so declared,’ he added.

Hilbay also denounced politicians for belatedly pushing for another law to ensure public accountability for the crimes they themselves or their colleagues had committed, saying this ‘flies in the face of both logic and experience.’ /cb

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez could face a complaint of gross inexcusable negligence for his purported role in the appointment of former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co as the head of the appropriations committee and the latter’s connection to the anomalous flood control projects, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Remulla made the pronouncement in a press briefing on Tuesday, saying that Romualdez and several other government officials could face the same complaint.

‘I had a discussion earlier with former Secretary [Rogelio] Singson and Justice [Andres] Reyes, and some of it can be attributed to gross inexcusable negligence if I’m not mistaken. Being the Secretary of Public Works, it was his [former Sec. Manuel Bonoan’s] job to make sure that things happen properly,’ the Ombudsman said.

‘I think that’s one of the recommendations is really to charge with gross inexcusable negligence, the same case will be filing probably against Zaldy Co and former Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez,’ he added.

Remulla said that in examining the cases involving Co, a pattern showed the former lawmaker’s coordination with some senators in crafting the final version of the national budget.

He noted that Romualdez, on the other hand, should be held accountable for Co’s appointment since it happened under the former’s watch.

‘Although Co was elected on the floor, everybody knows it was the Speaker’s choice. We’re crossing the boundaries of normal legal theory here, but we have to stretch it because the whole government machinery and the Filipino people suffered damages due to Co’s acts. If there’s nothing criminal about it, then there is negligence,’ Remulla said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Reporters have sought a comment from Romualdez’s office, which has yet to reply as of posting time.

Last May, the Philippine peso began to part ways with the currencies of our comparable neighbors. Normally, our currency moves in tandem with those of our Asean-5 peers, with the appreciation or depreciation of the US dollar mainly determining which way they go. When the dollar appreciates or gains value, our currencies depreciate or lose value (i.e., exchange rates with the dollar go up); when the dollar depreciates, our currencies in turn appreciate (exchange rates go down).

The euro-US dollar exchange rate is a good indicator of the value of the dollar, which is usually assessed against a basket of six currencies called the ‘US Dollar Index’ (DXY), where the euro accounts for nearly 60 percent. In the early months of 2025, the Asean-5 currencies mimicked the ups and downs of the euro against the dollar, as seen in how the peaks and troughs of the different currency graphs coincided. The exception was the Indonesian rupiah, which moved differently until April. But it was in May when our peso began moving in the opposite direction from the rest, with a widening gap to this day. By the end of July, the peso had lost around 4 percent of its value since May 1 (from P55.88/$ to P58.17/$), while the other Asean-5 currencies gained value ranging from 0.1 percent (Malaysia) to 1 percent (Thailand). As of last week, the peso had lost nearly 6 percent of its value since May 1 (to P59.13/$), while the Malaysian ringgit gained 1.2 percent. The currency graphs show how the Philippine peso is moving in its own direction, with a widening gap from our neighbors’ currencies. This implies that things unique to us are happening in our country, making our currency behave quite differently from the rest.

It clearly wasn’t the ‘floodgate’ scandal that started it, as that issue erupted only in late July with President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address. So what happened in May that could have triggered the peso to lose value? The best explanation appears to be the good news that our inflation has slowed down to 1.3 percent, and how this has led market players to expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to be more aggressive about lowering interest rates to stimulate the slowing economy. The BSP indeed sent such signals following the good news on inflation, which further fell to 0.9 percent in July. It reduced policy interest rates in June after a similar reduction in April, followed by another cut in August, then again in October-even as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) has signaled reluctance to cut rates in the face of persistently high inflation.

This tells me that the BSP is not afraid of a peso depreciation, the natural result of cutting our interest rates faster than the Fed does, because the less attractive financial yields here would induce an outflow of dollars. Meanwhile, our neighbors’ central banks can afford to keep close to the Fed’s actions in setting their own rates, because their interest rates have already been low anyway (2-3 percent for Malaysia and Thailand). Our own rates were raised to a stifling 6.25 percent in response to the inflation spike that peaked at 8.7 percent in 2023, with skyrocketing food prices. The BSP is quite aware, with a seasoned economist at the helm and more economists on the Monetary Board and staff, that a depreciated peso actually helps stimulate economic growth, and can be a good thing for many people. Winners include overseas Filipino workers and their families, export industries and their workers, domestic producers competing with imports made more expensive by peso depreciation, and others receiving income in foreign currency. Losers are those with foreign debts to pay (including the government), buyers of imported goods, or those who want to travel or invest abroad.

As I’ve long pointed out, a depreciated currency is both a blessing and a curse, depending on where one stands in the economy. This is why I avoid using value-laden words like ‘weak’ or ‘strong,’ and ‘best- or worst-performing’ to describe currency movements. I prefer using ‘appreciation’ or ‘depreciation,’ which need not connote good or bad news. What would make the BSP worry and act is when depreciation happens too fast or unduly raises prices to hike inflation beyond target levels. So far, the BSP appears comfortable.

So where is the peso headed? There’s evidence that foreign capital is now being repelled by massive corruption exposed by the ‘floodgate’ scandal, and even the usual Christmas surge in remittances may not hold back the continued decline of the peso. Besides, it’s also pointed out that when foreign currency converts to more pesos, less of it needs to be sent home to meet fixed peso requirements. All told, unless we can show convincing actions to stop corruption, especially jailing ‘big fish’ offenders, projections of an exchange rate around P60/$ or more next year would not be off the mark.

Typhoon Tino (international name: ‘Kalmaegi’) slightly weakened as it batters through Visayas on Tuesday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, meanwhile, remains raised over several areas in Visayas and in Luzon.

According to the 2 p.m. advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Tino was last spotted 95 kilometers (km) within the vicinity of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental while moving westward at 25 km per hour (kph).

The typhoon currently carries maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.

‘Tino has passed close over Camotes Islands and is forecast to traverse Visayas and northern Palawan until it emerges over the West Philippine Sea by [Wednesday] morning,’ Pagasa said in its latest typhoon bulletin.

‘It will then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by tomorrow evening or Thursday early morning,’ it added.

The list of areas still under Signal No. 4-or winds greater than 118 kph up to 184 kph expected in at least 12 hours-are as follows:

Luzon

Cuyo Islands

Visayas

The northernmost portion of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City)

The northern portion of Negros Occidental (San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, City of Escalante, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, City of Talisay, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, La Castellana)

Guimaras

Capiz

Iloilo

The central and southern portions of Antique (Patnongon, Sibalom, Barbaza, Valderrama, Hamtic, San Jose, Bugasong, Culasi, Tibiao, Anini-Y, San Remigio, Belison, Tobias Fornier, Laua-An)

Southern portion of Aklan (Libacao, New Washington, Banga, Altavas, Madalag, Balete, Batan)

Signal No. 3-winds of greater than 89 kph up to 117 kph in at least 18 hours-is up in the following areas:

Luzon

The southwestern portion of Masbate (Balud)

The northernmost portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian Islands

Visayas

The northern and central portions of Cebu (Pinamungahan, Ronda, Liloan, Cebu City, Consolacion, Danao City, Borbon, Carmen, Daanbantayan, Tuburan, City of Bogo, Alcantara, Tabogon, City of Naga, Lapu-Lapu City, City of Carcar, Mandaue City, Catmon, Minglanilla, Toledo City, Cordova, Compostela, San Remigio, Balamban, Dumanjug, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, Asturias, Barili, Medellin, Sogod, Tabuelan, City of Talisay) including Bantayan Islands

The northernmost portion of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud)

The northern portion of Negros Occidental (Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan)

The rest of Aklan

The rest of Antique including Caluya Islands

On the other hand, Signal No. 2 – or winds greater than 62 kph and up to 88 kph in at least 24 hours – is hoisted in:

Luzon

The western and southern portions of Masbate (Esperanza, Pio V. Corpuz, Placer, Cawayan, Milagros, Mandaon)

The southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Bongabong)

The southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan)

The southern portion of Romblon (Santa Fe, Santa Maria, Looc, Alcantara, Cajidiocan, Odiongan, San Jose, Ferrol, Romblon, San Andres, Magdiwang, Calatrava, San Agustin, San Fernando)

The northern portion of Palawan (San Vicente, Roxas) including Cagayancillo Islands

Visayas

The western portion of Biliran (Almeria, Naval, Biliran)

The western portion of Leyte (Palompon, Merida, Isabel, Matag-Ob, Calubian, Leyte, San Isidro, Villaba, Tabango)

The northwestern portion of Bohol (Antequera, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, Loon, Dauis, Buenavista, Talibon, Getafe, Tubigon, Inabanga, Panglao, Clarin, Calape, Cortes, San Isidro)

The rest of Cebu including Camotes Islands

The central portion of Negros Oriental (Tayasan, Manjuyod, Bais City, Mabinay, Bindoy, Ayungon, City of Tanjay, Pamplona, Amlan, San Jose, City of Bayawan, Basay)

The rest of Negros Occidental

Signal No. 1 – with winds 39 to 61 kph to be expected in at least 36 hours and intermittent rains – prevails in these places:

Luzon

The southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres)

The southern portion of Marinduque (Torrijos, Buenavista, Gasan, Boac)

The rest of Oriental Mindoro

The northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan)

The rest of Romblon

The western and southern portions of Albay (Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Camalig, City of Ligao, Pio Duran, Daraga, Jovellar, Libon, Polangui, Oas)

The western and southern portions of Sorsogon (Bulusan, Magallanes, Santa Magdalena, Juban, Bulan, Irosin, Matnog, Pilar, Castilla, Donsol)

The rest of Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands

The central portion of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City)

Visayas

The western portion of Northern Samar (San Isidro, Victoria, Allen, Lavezares)

The western portion of Samar ( San Jorge, San Sebastian, Santa Rita, Villareal, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, Almagro, Calbayog City, Talalora, Jiabong, Pagsanghan, City of Catbalogan, Gandara, Motiong, Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Santa Margarita, Tarangnan, Calbiga, Daram, Marabut, Paranas, Basey, Hinabangan)

The rest of Biliran

The rest of Leyte

The northern and western portions of Southern Leyte (Libagon, Hinunangan, City of Maasin, Silago, Padre Burgos, Saint Bernard, Malitbog, Bontoc, Tomas Oppus, Macrohon, Limasawa, Sogod)

The rest of Bohol

The rest of Oriental Mindoro

Siquijor

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), led by billionaire Isidro Consunji, booked lower earnings in the January to September period amid the drop in energy and coal prices, alongside costlier production.

In a disclosure on Monday, Semirara’s net income got slashed by 37 percent to P9.89 billion from P15.7 billion recorded a year earlier.

‘This has been a more difficult year operationally, but we continue to adapt,’ SMPC president, chief operating officer and chief sustainability officer Maria Cristina Gotianun said in a separate statement.

‘Our priority is to strengthen reliability, manage costs and preserve our financial flexibility to navigate changing market and operating conditions,’ the executive added.

Power

Its power business accounted for 57 percent of SMPC’s profit in the period, with coal operations providing the remaining 43 percent.

The group put the blame on ‘the continued normalization of coal and spot electricity prices, higher noncash costs and the equity net loss from its cement associate.’

Higher production and better plant performance also failed to lift its revenues, weighed down by lower prices. The group said its top line dropped by 13 percent to P43.26 billion.

Coal operations

SMPC’s total coal shipments improved by 5 percent to a record-high of 12.9 million metric tons (MMT) from 12.3 MMT. Coal production also climbed 15 percent to 15.1 MMT from 13.1 MMT.

However, the average selling price weakened by 19 percent to P2,325 per metric ton (MT) against the previous P2,864 per MT.

During the period, the average Newcastle Index-the benchmark price for thermal coal in the Asia-Pacific region, saw a 22-percent drop to $104.5 per MT.

Power biz

The group also witnessed stronger power sales in the first nine months, rising by 12 percent to record 4,186 gigawatt hours, driven by boosted plant activities.

Fifty-seven percent of the power sales went to the spot market, while the remaining was under bilateral contract quantities.

Despite the increase in sales, SMPC said its overall average selling price fell 10 percent to P4.46 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from P4.93 per kWh.

Average spot electricity prices in the Luzon and Visayas grids likewise decreased to P3.73 per kWh, down 33 percent from P5.59 per kWh.

Smart Communications Inc. subscribers found themselves unable to call, text or access the internet via their mobile phones on Tuesday morning due to connectivity issues, although the mobile unit of telecommunications giant PLDT is working double time to fully restore its services.

In an advisory as of 10:46 AM, Smart said, ‘Signal restoration is ongoing, and services are gradually returning to normal. Our teams are continuing to work to bring back the best possible service experience.’

In the meantime, GCash said Smart users registered on its platform may experience delay or not receive their One-Time Passwords (OTP) during the temporary downtime.

Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) made two landfalls since early Tuesday in the Visayas, where eight areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, according to the state weather bureau.

The typhoon’s initial landfall occurred at midnight in Silago, Leyte. It made a second landfall at 5:10 a.m. in Borbon, Cebu, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its latest bulletin.

Pagasa last spotted Tino over the coastal waters of San Francisco, Cebu, at 5 a.m., moving west at 25 kilometers per hour (kph), packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph and gusts of up to 205 kph.

Tino will pass through the Negros Island Region on Tuesday before heading toward northern Palawan and clearing the Philippine landmass Wednesday, Pagasa said.

The typhoon will cross over the West Philippine Sea and is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Thursday.

Areas under Signal No. 4

Western and southern portions of Leyte

northern and central portions of Cebu, including Camotes Islands and Bantayan Islands

northeastern portion of Bohol

northernmost portion of Negros Oriental

northern portion of Negros Occidental

Guimaras

central and southern portions of Iloilo

The southern portion of Antique

Residents from island barangays in Tubigon, Bohol, are ferried to the mainland and brought to an evacuation center at the town proper for their safety as Typhoon Tino is moving closer to the Visayas on Monday, November 3, 2025.

Areas under Signal no. 3

LUZON

Cuyo Islands

VISAYAS

Southern Leyte

central and eastern portions of Bohol

northern portion of Negros Oriental

central portion of Negros Occidental

the rest of Iloilo

southern portion of Capiz

central portion of Antique

Areas under Signal No. 2

LUZON

southern portion of Masbate

southern portion of Romblon

southern portion of Oriental Mindoro

southern portion of Occidental Mindoro

northern portion of Palawan, including Calamian Islands

VISAYAS

central and southern portions of Eastern Samar

central and southern portions of Samar

the rest of Leyte

Biliran

the rest of Bohol

the rest of Cebu

central portion of Negros Oriental

the rest of Negros Occidental

Siquijor

the rest of Capiz

Aklan

the rest of Antique, including the Caluya Islands

MINDANAO

Dinagat Islands

Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

Camiguin

Areas under Signal No. 1

LUZON

Albay

Sorsogon

the rest of Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands

southern portion of Quezon

southern portion of Marinduque

the rest of Romblon

the rest of Oriental Mindoro

the rest of Occidental Mindoro

central portion of Palawan, including the Cagayancillo Islands

VISAYAS

Northern Samar

the rest of Eastern Samar

the rest of Samar

the rest of Negros Oriental

MINDANAO

northern portion of Surigao del Sur

northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur

Agusan del Norte

Misamis Oriental

northern portion of Bukidnon

northern portion of Misamis Occidental

northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte

Amid her mom Inday Barretto and sister Marjorie Barretto making headlines over their public exchange of claims, Claudine Barretto intrigued netizens with a cryptic quote on being labeled as the ‘villain.’

Claudine reposted a video from Instagram user Mindset Warrior through her Instagram Stories on Monday, Nov. 3.

The clip included a photo of a lion while a man can be heard saying in the background, ‘They labeled you the villain just because you finally said enough. You tolerated the lies; you swallowed your pain; you played nice in a world that kept throwing knives behind your back, but the moment you spoke up, you became the problem.’

‘They loved the version of you that stayed quiet, that took the blame, that kept bleeding just to keep the peace. But the day you stopped being their puppet, you turned into their nightmare. Now you’re the toxic one, the cold one, the changed one,’ the man continued.

It was further pointed out that the one speaking changed because he was ‘tired of breaking [his] back to build bridges for people who set fire to everyone.’

‘I’m the storm they thought would never hit, the silence they should have feared, the one who finally realized they never loved me. They loved controlling me,’ he added.

Claudine did not include any caption in her post. Prior to this, Inday had an interview with showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz in which she accused Claudine’s estranged husband Raymart Santiago of being abusive toward the actress during their marriage.

Inday, in the same interview, also claimed that she and her daughter Marjorie do not get along fine because she ‘feels rejection’ from the latter. The Barretto matriarch talked about the rift between Marjorie and her older sister Gretchen Barretto as well, and echoed the supposed sentiment of some that such stemmed from ‘rivalry and inggit’ (envy).

Marjorie refuted her mom’s claims which, she said, were made to make Claudine ‘look good and clean.’

Claudine has yet to publicly comment on this as of this writing.