Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Not with standing another public hearing, this time with agencies to clarify concerns, the residents of Barangay Guba, Cebu City, remain adamant on giving their approval for the construction of the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility in their area, citing declining trust in government agencies, among other reasons.

This is according to Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, the project proponent, who reiterated that agencies handling safety and environmental hazards have already assured that the project does not pose any environmental or health risks, contrary to the residents’ fears.

In an interview yesterday (October 26), Garganera said they had already conducted a previous public hearing on the project. However, it left questions about health risks, environmental impact, technological capacity, and other aspects that needed to be answered by the proper experts.

In response to these concerns, Garganera said they requested representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture (DA), several chemists, Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to attend the hearing and directly answer the questions that kept Guba residents from supporting the long-delayed project.

Garganera shared that the DOST representative presented the technology, which has already been tested in Manila and comes with an environmental report. ‘Ilang gi-assure nga ang technology pasado gyud when it comes to emission diha sa Clean Air Act,’ said the councilor.

Aside from this, Garganera said the same technology was proven to reduce the volume of garbage by more than 91 percent. He further emphasized that it has been implemented in other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea, among others.

Garganera said the DOH also presented the project’s health safety measures. According to him, the DOH emphasized that other countries, such as Tokyo, already have 21 WTE facilities, most of which even stand in the middle of the city.

‘Who are we to question them ba, nga maayo man gani ilang (other countries) palibot,’ said Garganera, adding that it wouldn’t make a difference if it were constructed in the city, given the DOH’s assurance.

Comparing it to the landfill system, the councilor said landfills often emit foul odors, while WTE facilities are fully contained. Highlighting its advantage, Garganera said a WTE can generate energy and could potentially address the city’s garbage problem.

Garganera said the DOE, for its part, proposed that residents, being hosts of the project, would receive incentives related to their energy supply.

The DA also noted that other countries, with existing WTE facilities, do not encounter environmental problems, echoing what the DENR had also presented, said Garganera.

Guba residents stay rigid

Despite the clarifications, Garganera admitted that, during the public hearing, some residents still did not ‘trust’ the agencies that presented information about the project.

‘They question the integrity of the different departments, ilang gi-question nga Pinoy lagi kuno ta, dili kuno ta mugamit sa maong performance, and they have reasons pud kay naa’y mga ahensya sa gobyerno nga palpak,’ said Garganera, explaining the apprehension of some residents.

‘Kay mahitabo na sila kuno’y alaot,’ he added, as he emphasized that this may be due to the declining public trust in government agencies’ capability to monitor and enforce compliance moving forward.

Aside from this, Garganera said the residents also raised concerns about the barangay’s access road, adding that it could be too narrow to provide easy access, a valid concern the councilor agreed on.

However, Garganera said this could be resolved by expanding the road networks. He noted that one of the contributing factors to traffic congestion in the area is the number of garbage trucks traveling the same route to the dumpsite in Binaliw, an area near Guba.

The contractor, New Sky, Garganera reiterated, will open a new road network leading to the facility once construction of the WTE begins.

Despite mixed reactions, Garganera said there were some who already agreed with the project but not with its proposed location in Barangay Guba. Still, Garganera noted that this already marked a fresh development, compared to the outright rejection of the project by the residents before.

What’s next for WTE?

Previously, Garganera admitted that one of the biggest hurdles for the project to break ground is public approval, hence the ongoing public hearings. Despite the most recent one, however, Garganera said there is still a long way to go before the project’s realization.

He added that they would meet again with the same agencies to assess the level of public acceptance after the feedback from Guba residents.

It was reported that the long-standing plan to build a WTE facility in Cebu City faces another three-year projection for realization, as it continues to be challenged by public misconceptions raised during public hearings in Barangay Guba and neighboring areas.

Garganera, who noted that while the project was initially presented with a three-year realization timeline from 2023, targeting completion this year, said it has yet to break ground.

The councilor shared that one of the biggest hurdles remains securing the green light from the public, particularly from barangay residents.

As Christmas approaches, the environment group Ban Toxics is monitoring the lead content of toys sold in public markets in Bulacan, other provinces and Metro Manila.

Thony Dizon, Ban Toxics advocacy and campaign officer, told The STAR that 215 toy samples tested since September were found to contain lead levels that ranged from 100 parts per million to as high as 6,000 ppm.

The acceptable lead limit in toys is set at only 90 ppm in many countries, including the US, European Union states and the Philippines.

Dizon said the toys that exceeded regulatory limits include play sets, dolls, toy cars and animal figurines that were sold in Baclaran, Pasay City and other public markets in Metro Manila.

He noted that the World Health Organization identified lead poisoning as a major global health concern, particularly for young children who absorb four to five times more lead than adults due to their frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors and natural curiosity.

The clock has started ticking on a potential strike at the University of Asia and the Pacific, after its faculty and staff unions submitted a strike vote last week – starting a seven-day countdown before the two unions can officially walk out.

The vote to strike by the UA and P Union of Faculty Members and the UA and P Union of Allied Employees caps months of failed negotiations in which management reportedly offered free meals and a 1-2% salary increase over three years – proposals the unions say fall short amid the rising costs of living.

The two unions submitted the strike vote to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) on October 24 after the school’s management reportedly offered no new counteroffer at a mediation session.

The mediation meeting was presided over by the office of the DOLE Secretary and NCMB executive director.

“After receiving no new counteroffer from UA and P management during the conference. both unions decided to file their respective strike vote reports,” the two unions said in a statement sent to Philstar.com on Sunday, October 26.

“This act triggers the seven-day period before both unions can legally strike,” the two unions said.

This means that by November 3, the two unions at the UA and P can officially begin carrying out the strike.

Months of stalled talks

The unions said in their joint statement that they have ‘extended much forbearance’ in months of negotiations to secure “collective and much-needed improvements in salaries and benefits.’

A deadlock in negotiations was declared on June 25. In July, the unions sought preventive mediation ‘to exhaust all peaceful channels of resolving this deadlock’ before filing notices of strike on August 7 and 8. Even after the 30-day cooling-off period expired, they continued to attend conciliation meetings, ‘waiting for management to submit substantive counteroffers,’ the unions said.

When none came, the unions pushed through with their strike votes – held on September 24 for UA and PUAE and September 25 for UA and PUFM. An NCMB representative observed both votes. ‘Almost 90% of union members voted to proceed with the strike,’ the unions said.

What’s on the table

According to the two unions on Sunday, the university has maintained throughout negotiations that UA and P salaries are “above industry standards” and that the university’s financial situation prevents it from granting benefit increases.

The unions say they have repeatedly countered these claims “in various platforms using verifiable facts and evidence.”

In September, the university reportedly proposed converting free meals into P6,600 cash annually and reportedly adjusting pay scales for some employees. The unions told Philstar.com this was “distortionary given that not all will be adjusted.”

“The reality is that UA and P employees continue to struggle amidst rising standards of living and persistent threat of health emergencies, which further put a strain on their families’ already meager resources,” the unions said in Sunday’s statement. “The provision of free lunch and 1-2% salary increase [in a span of three years] will not solve these problems.”

Philstar.com has sought the comment of the university management and will update this article with their response.

In an August statement to Philstar.com, the university’s management committee said personnel costs already consume 74% of its tuition revenue – higher than the 52% benchmark it cited from “some leading universities in the country.”

Students at UA and P pay tuition fees of about P125,000 to P152,000 per semester, depending on their degree program and units taken. The school has about 2,000 students.

The university told Philstar.com it had agreed to most non-economic benefits sought by the unions but could not commit to additional salary and benefit increases. It offered counterproposals on economic benefits “within our financial capacity” before negotiations collapsed.

‘Priority to people’

UA and PUFM President Ferdinand delos Reyes invoked Catholic social teaching – which UA and P emphasizes in its programs – in appealing to management.

‘Management should see by now that employees would not have formed the unions had we not had real needs and work-related concerns that needed addressing,” Delos Reyes said, adding that these concerns affected both the university’s employees and their families.

“As teachers and employees, we’ve taught and learned of the social teachings of the Church which our institution holds true and dear,” Delos Reyes said. “We enjoin management to act on the spirit contained in those social teachings, giving priority to people, to persons and their welfare.”

UA and PUAE President Keith Panganiban described the strike as a last resort after years of stagnant pay.

“Our movement did not arise from hate and hostility but from years of quiet endurance – of dedicated service, delayed fairness, and hope for shared progress,” Panganiban said. “UA and PUAE’s aim has never been to disrupt or divide, but to restore balance, justice, and respect to every worker who make UA and P great.”

Both faculty and staff unions “maintain that improvements in human capital are long-term investments to the competitiveness of their beloved institution,” the statement read.

“UA and P cannot aim to be a prestigious and premium university if it does not invest in the people who make it happen. This strike is both unions’ final attempt to fight for the people who embody the educational principles that make the university great,” it added.

Next steps. Under the Labor Code, a strike may proceed only after the seven-day waiting period expires and further mediation efforts are completed.

Both unions said they will ‘continue to update their stakeholders in the coming days’ as they prepare for possible strike action. No date has been set for the strike.

UA and PUFM represents rank-and-file faculty members of UA and P, while UA and PUAE represents administrative and non-teaching academic staff.

The city’s most anticipated Halloweekend is finally here-and there’s only one place everyone’s heading: and Friends Halloween Festival at The Cove Manila, Okada.

After taking Manila by storm earlier this year with a record-breaking festival that drew over 20,000 fans, and Friends is back to deliver another unforgettable experience, this time transforming Halloween night into a full-scale festival celebration on October 31.

The road to Halloween: Pre-parties that set the stage

The excitement has already been building for weeks through a string of successful and Friends pre-parties across Manila, bringing together partygoers from every corner of the city.

From The Drag Avenue at Sari Sari Bar to the nostalgic Emo Night Manila, the vibey sessions at Caffeine Club and Vibn MNL, and the sleek gatherings at Socialista, Timeless, Sweet and Sour and Hidden Nights-each pre-party has kept the energy alive and the anticipation soaring.

And it’s not too late to join the fun-more pre-parties are happening as the countdown continues to October 31, leading up to Manila’s biggest Halloween festival.

Get in the mood: Stream the official and friends Halloween playlist

Can’t wait for the big night?

Get hyped with the official and friends Halloween Spotify Playlist, featuring the hottest EDM anthems and spooky beats to set the tone for your costume prep, pre-game or road trip to Okada.

Get ready for the night everyone’s talking about

This Halloween, Manila only has one plan-party all night at and Friends. Expect your feed to be flooded with outrageous costumes, and the biggest names in Asian EDM lighting up Okada’s dance floor.

Tickets are already 90% sold out. So grab your friends, pick your look, and get ready to be part of the most talked-about Halloween celebration in the city.

The private proponent for the upgrade of the country’s air navigation services (ANS) expects the government to decide on its proposal by November, as it underscores the urgency of rolling out the project as soon as possible.

Comclark Network and Technology Corp. is anticipating a response next month from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for its P31.55-billion pitch to handle the country’s ANS.

In May, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with CAAP, agreed to give the offer a chance by proceeding with the detailed evaluation.

Comclark chief operations officer Benedicto Bulatao is hoping CAAP would grant the project to the company given its expertise in connectivity projects. Comclark is joined by Gokongwei-led JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and Lucio Tan’s Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. in the pitch to upgrade the country’s ANS.

Bulatao said now is the best time to enhance air traffic control in the Philippines as seen in the spike in flight movements, warning that keeping the ANS the same could lead to a repeat of the New Year’s Day crisis in 2023.

On that day, Manila vanished from international airspace for hours as a result of the breakdown in ANS, causing flight cancellations and diversions for at least 56,000 passengers.

‘It is more like a concern of everybody because the government, as we have seen in the past, is in need of an upgrade for the system,’ Bulatao said.

‘We would like to provide the facility because we know how telecom operations work. We have to enable our air traffic controllers, we have to upgrade their technology. This way, aircraft don’t have to stay in the air waiting for clearance to land, which is a cause of delay,’ he added.

If CAAP approves the proposal, Bulatao said Comclark would proceed to negotiate the project. However, it must be noted that the DOTr is also doing a separate study on a similar project with the World Bank’s International Finance Corp.

Under Comclark’s proposal, it wants to operate and maintain all ANS equipment and facilities. It is also eyeing to construct a new air traffic management center and aviation training center.

The project seeks to expedite aircraft flow in Philippine airports; improve safety and innovation; and free the government from the costly task of managing the country’s ANS.

This is not the first time that Comclark has submitted a project of the same nature, with the first try junked due to technicalities in the Public-Private Partnership Code.

A United States Air Force E4B aircraft landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Sunday, October 26, for refueling and overnight crew rest, the Philippine Air Force confirmed on Monday, October 27.

The PAF said the plane – also known as the “nightwatch” aircraft – had diplomatic clearance but stressed “there is no VIP visit to the Philippines associated with it.”

The E4B, known as the “doomsday plane,” serves as a flying command post for the US President and his defense chief during national emergencies. Only four exist worldwide, and they rarely make stops in the region without accompanying high-level officials. It is called a “doomsday” aircraft because of its ability to withstand a nuclear attack.

“The PAF will monitor and assist this diplomatic layover as needed until its departure,” the Air Force said in a statement on Monday.

The PAF did not disclose the aircraft’s origin or destination, or explain why it chose Manila for its layover.

US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday for the first stop of his Asia tour and to attend the ASEAN summit. The US president has since departed for Tokyo.

A new executive order (EO) mandating a floor price for palay purchases by government entities will have little impact on farmers and may only complicate the process of setting buying prices, according to the head of a local farmers group.

Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) chair Leonardo Montemayor, a former agriculture secretary, said the measure’s coverage is limited to national government agencies and local government units (LGUs), whose combined purchases make up no more than five percent of total palay production.

‘Because their share is very small, they will not influence private traders to raise palay buying prices,’ Montemayor told The STAR.

He added that the creation of a price-setting committee to determine the floor price could lead to bureaucratic delays.

‘Price setting by committee is a formula for delayed decision-making,’ he said.

Montemayor also noted that most LGUs and government agencies apart from the National Food Authority (NFA) lack the facilities, manpower and funding to procure palay directly from farmers.

‘Effectively, the EO is unnecessary because the NFA will still be the main buyer,’ he said.

‘Its buying price is already set by the NFA Council and approved by the president, so there’s no need for a separate price-setting committee,’ Montemayor added.

The FFF chief said further that the measure’s impact will not be felt immediately since most of the main cropping season harvest has already been completed.

‘The earliest that the floor price will benefit some farmers will be during the dry season harvest in February to March 2026,’ Montemayor said.

In contrast, the Department of Agriculture (DA) defended the two executive orders, saying they aim to provide stability and predictable income for farmers and fisherfolk.

‘These EOs should bridge that gap in product pricing and marketing that have kept our food producers, especially those at the margins, from fully enjoying the fruits of their hard work,’ Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on the same day.

President Marcos signed EO 100 last Oct. 25, establishing a floor price for palay and setting trigger mechanisms for its implementation

Defending champion National University advanced to a fourth straight finals appearance after booting out Far Eastern University, 25-20, 27-25, 25-21, in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The twice-to-beat Lady Bulldogs displayed steady composure especially in the second frame, where they needed to save four set points, to turn back the Lady Tamaraws and come within two more wins of a four-peat.

Skipper Vange Alinsug and Celine Marsh led the way for unbeaten NU’s eighth straight victory in the league’s centerpiece tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

Alinsug finished with 11 points off nine kills and two kill blocks to go with five digs and five excellent receptions, while Marsh got nine markers. Chams Maaya and Josline Salazar added eight points each for NU, which will face the winner in the other semis pairing between twice-to-beat University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University in the best-of-three championship starting on Nov. 8 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Meanwhile, Adamson standout Shaina Nitura has been unveiled as the new SSL Ambassador, taking over the role held by NU product and Alas Pilipinas teammate Bella Belen.

Prefacing his statement with an ‘if,’ Senate president Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson announced over the weekend he will reassume as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee. The ongoing recess of the 20th Congress has apparently given enough time for Lacson to rethink his decision to head again this powerful Senate body. It remains iffy until Lacson’s fellow senators decide in plenary whether or not to retain him as the head of the Blue Ribbon committee.

That decision will come when the lawmakers resume session after the Undas break.

‘If elected again as Blue Ribbon chairman on Nov.10, our hearings will resume on Nov. 14,’ Lacson announced in his official social media account.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto IIl reiterated Lacson’s resignation stemmed from the latter’s ‘frustrations’ with some of their Senate colleagues. Without naming names, Sotto sought to mediate the misunderstanding that fanned out until they adjourned last Oct. 10 for the Undas recess.

Lacson resigned as Blue Ribbon head on Oct. 7, or three days before the Senate adjourned. Lacson resigned amid the reported dissatisfaction of fellow senators on how he handled the Senate investigation into the alleged ‘ghost’ flood control projects. In a letter of resignation he addressed to the Senate president, Lacson explained why.

‘Some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the Lower House perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects,’ wrote Lacson. ‘This narrative is categorically false. These misrepresentations are being floated mostly by critics opposed to our efforts to get to the bottom of the flood control anomalies.’

The Blue Ribbon was originally chaired by neophyte Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who got elected to chair it when Sen. Chiz Escudero was the Senate president. Following the Senate leadership changes, Marcoleta was replaced by Lacson. The Blue Ribbon’s first case referral was, in fact, Lacson’s own privilege speech about the reported ‘ghost’ flood control projects funded in the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Lacson took over from Marcoleta after the second public hearing on the ‘ghost’ flood control projects.

Lacson is the second highest ranking senator next to Sotto as the incumbent Senate chief. ‘Sen. Lacson did not resign to save the (Senate) presidency, ‘king’s gambit’ as some claimed. Sen. Ping and I could only smile,’ Sotto quipped.

Sotto and Lacson fondly call themselves the ‘macho’ bloc. It’s not because of any masculine superiority they have over their Senate colleagues. It’s a play on words that the two senators proudly describe themselves as ‘macho-nurin,’ or obedient or loyal to their respective wives.

More popularly known as the Blue Ribbon, the Senate committee on accountability of public officers and investigations is one of the most coveted chairmanships among the 42 standing Senate committees. Aside, of course, from the Senate presidency itself.

The alliance of Sotto and Lacson further got strengthened when they ran together as vice presidential and presidential candidates, respectively, during the May 2022 elections. As fate dictated, they lost their bids to the now defunct UniTeam of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.

But the two of them made successful comeback bids in the Senate when they run and won under PBBM’s Alyansa sa Bagong Pilipinas in the last May 2025 mid-term elections.

Having forsworn publicly that he won’t be sucked in to the ‘pork-barrel’ system in Congress since he first became senator in 2001, Lacson has the moral ascendancy to investigate fellow lawmakers implicated in the alleged congressional insertions and initiatives that ‘badly mangled’ the 2025 budget law.

As the erstwhile top cop of the country, Sotto welcomed Lacson’s decision to reassert authority to investigate these reported shenanigans on the annual budget laws. From flood control, Sotto disclosed, the Blue Ribbon will expand its motu proprio inquiries into other state-funded farm-to-market roads, irrigation, school and classroom buildings and other infrastructure projects.

‘I can assure you that the hearings and investigation of the Blue Ribbon will be continuing and it will be encompassing on all accountability of public officials,’ Sotto vowed.

The Blue Ribbon is empowered to investigate alleged wrongdoings in the government, its officials and its attached agencies, including government owned and controlled corporations, ‘in aid of legislation.’ This is the primary purpose of this committee to come up with the suggestion of new laws, or proposals of amendments to existing laws at the end of its legislative inquiries.

In all Senate committees, the four top Senate officials are ex officio members, namely, the Senate president, pro tempore, the majority leader and the minority leader. Like all other committees, the Senate elects members of the Blue Ribbon committee. At present, the Blue Ribbon is composed of 17 out of the 24 senators. Even if he does not get back as head of the Blue Ribbon, Lacson remains as its ex officio member.

The House infrastructure committee suspended last month its own parallel investigations into the alleged ‘ghost’ flood control projects. After all, many of the ‘proponents’ of these congressional insertions and initiatives were authored by House members during the 19th Congress, many of whom got re-elected to the 20th Congress.

These include resigned Ako Bicol party-list Zaldy Co who flew abroad at the height of the investigations into the flood control scandal. Co was the former chairman of the House committee on appropriations that crafted the 2025 budget law. Former speaker, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has attended and shed light at a closed-door inquiry before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

Once the Senate Blue Ribbon restarts its public hearings, it will be moving on to the next chapter of these reported anomalous infrastructure projects. Let’s see if the ‘macho’ bloc will indeed follow the trail of evidence wherever it will lead them.

Boxer Leo Mhar Lobrido and Alas Pilipinas provided hope to the Philippine team eyeing to rake in more gold medals after pulling off nerve-wracking victories in the 3rd Asian Youth Games here Monday.

Lobrido, the diminutive but big-hearted Filipino flag-bearer, survived a feisty Sri Lankan Binul Dulnada Narayana in the 46-kilogram quarterfinal to seal himself a virtual bronze with a chance of a better one – possibly a gold – at the Exhibition World Bahrain.

The semifinal round is set Tuesday in the sport that has been a constant source of Olympic medals for the country through the years.

It was a victory as massive as the Filipinas’ 25-16, 20-25, 25-16, 25-18 triumph over Chinese Taipei in girls’ volleyball at the ISA Sports City Sunday night that punched it a ticket to the semifinals where it clashes with Iran.

The Iranians turned back the Mongolians, 25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 25-15, in marching to the semis.

On the other side of the fence, it will be an interesting duel between Southeast Asian rivals Thailand and Indonesia.

The winners will advance straight to the gold medal round while the losers clash it out for the bronze Wednesday.

And the Filipinas set their sights on one thing alone – make the finals.

‘We’re exhilarated, we got the victory,’ said an ecstatic Alas standout Rihanna Cris Navarro. ‘Our target is really the top four but if we get the chance to make the finals, we’ll grab it.’

Navarro said they’re confident of their chances against the Iranians.

‘If I would rate our chances from one to 10 against Iran, I can say it’s a 10,’ she said.

In weightlifting, Princess Jay Ann Diaz and Jay-r Colonia settled for a bronze in clean and jerk.

Diaz, niece of Tokyo Olympic gold winner Hidilyn Diaz, took the podium finish in the girls’ 44kg section where she lifted a 78kg while Colonia, who also came from the same Zamboanga City stable that produced Diaz, had the same medal in the boys’ 56 kg clean and jerk a 173kg lift.

Expect more medals, hopefully gold, to come soon as Jhodie Peralta, a world juniors champion, will be one of the three remaining lifters to see action.

She is scheduled to plunge into action in the girls’ 53kg class Tuesday.

In table tennis at the EWB, John Marin and Jannaj Alarcon dumped Mongolia’s Turmunkh Dugersuren and Enkhjin Tuvshinbayar, 11-7, 12-10, 11-3, to launch their bid in the mixed doubles.

In cycling at the Nasser Bin Hamad loop, CJ Cabreros finished 10th out of 22 participants in the boys’ individual time trial with a clocking of 23 minutes and 6.39 seconds.

Chinese Zhang Qiaochu took the mint in 21:45.65.