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Amid calls for transparency, the Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the public’s constitutional right to access information about its justices, including their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law.

SC spokesperson Camille Ting explained yesterday that under Administrative Memorandum 09-8-6-SC, issued in 2012, requests for copies of the SALN, personal data sheets (PDS) and curriculum vitae (CV) of justices must be filed before the office of the Clerk of Court and are subject to approval by the SC.

‘Requests must be made in writing using the SALN/PDS/CV request form available on the SC website and must state the specific purpose for which the information is sought. Media requests must include proof of media affiliation and accreditation,’ she added.

Ting also disclosed that the SC is ‘currently updating its rules and forms on access to information.’

The review of requests for justices’ SALNs is necessary to protect the justices’ privacy, given the sensitivity of cases they handle, Ting said in an interview during the third anniversary of the SC’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027.

‘It still will be the Supreme Court who will decide whether they will release the SALNs or not depending on the grounds and justification that you (requester) will be providing,’ she said.

‘Under the laws, there are some exceptions to releasing of the SALNs, especially we have to consider the privacy concerns of the people. So that’s also one of the reasons why it has to be approved by the en banc,’ she added.

Ting gave assurance, however, that the SC is open to amending its rules to streamline the process of releasing SALNs and other requested documents.

House SALN body

Speaker Faustino Dy III, meanwhile, has reconstituted the SALN review and compliance committee of the House of Representatives in line with Republic Act 6713 and his push for greater transparency among lawmakers.

Under a memorandum order dated Oct. 20, Dy appointed Deputy Speaker and South Cotabato Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez as committee chair, with Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor and Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo serving as vice chairmen.

The panel also includes Reps. Jose Teves Jr., Maria Cristina Angeles, Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Angelo Barba and Arlene Bag-ao as members.

According to Dy, the reconstituted body will continue to carry out its duties under existing House rules governing the filing, review and public disclosure of SALNs.

A secretariat composed of senior officials from the House legal, legislative operations and administrative departments, along with representatives from other offices, will provide technical and administrative support.

The move comes after Dy said the House would revisit its rules on SALN disclosure to promote accountability, noting that lawmakers’ statements of wealth were once open to public inspection.

Fulfilling his earlier commitment to lead by example, the Speaker also released his own SALN to the media.

Based on his July 15 filing, Dy declared P32.5 million worth of real estate assets and P121.1 million in personal properties, which include jewelry, investments, vans, mini buses and farm equipment.

He also listed liabilities amounting to P47.1 million, placing his total net worth at around P74 million.

Dy likewise reported business interests in Queen Isabela Agriventures in Isabela, Love Cakes by Ann and Gan Co. in Pasig, Isabela Hotel and Resort by Dy Inc. in Cauayan City and Northeastern Broadcasting Service Inc.

Sotto discloses SALN

Aside from Dy, Senate President Vicente Sotto III has made public his 2025 SALN, declaring a total net worth of P188.9 million as of June 30.

According to a certified true copy from the Senate Secretariat, Sotto’s real estate holdings total P335.17 million, including three house-and-lot properties (one worth P235 million), two condominium units, two residential lots and one agricultural lot.

He also declared P130.4 million in personal assets, bringing his total assets to P465.6 million, offset by P276.7 million in liabilities from bank loans and other payables.

The disclosure showed that Sotto’s wealth has grown significantly over the last five years with his 2020 net worth ballooning by up to P103.2 million in the present. His declared net worth in 2016 and 2020 was P63.8 million and P85.6 million respectively.

He also declared shares in VST Production Specialists Inc. and TVJ Productions, where he is an incorporator, and named relatives in government service, including Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, MTRCB chair Lala Sotto and Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto.

Sotto’s disclosure follows similar releases by Senators Robinhood Padilla and Risa Hontiveros.

Have you ever noticed how your skin mirrors your mood? A sudden breakout before a big presentation, or itchy, irritated skin when you’re overwhelmed-it’s no coincidence. Science shows that your skin and brain are in constant communication, and stress can trigger flare-ups that ordinary treatments can’t always fix.

That’s where Belo Medical Group steps in with its latest innovation: Belo Neurocosmetics, a groundbreaking range of treatments that harnesses the power of the brain-skin connection. Designed to work on both the emotional and cellular levels, these treatments help your skin adapt to stress, restore its balance, and bring back that healthy, confident glow.

With Belo Neurocosmetics, the transformation starts deep beneath the surface. The treatments not only address visible skin issues but also calm the underlying triggers-keeping your complexion resilient even in stressful conditions.

Leading the campaign is Rocio Zobel, the fresh-faced Parsons graduate and creative who perfectly captures Belo’s forward-thinking spirit.

Having battled acne for more than a year, Rocio shares that she trusts Belo: ‘I tried the Belo NeuroGlow Facial, and it helped with my acne breakouts.’

‘Belo Neurocosmetics influences the triggers that cause skin inflammation,’ explains Dr. Vicki Belo. ‘It helps your skin stay calm and quiet-so it naturally looks healthy and radiant.’

For over three decades, Belo Medical Group has been synonymous with firsts in Philippine aesthetics-from introducing lasers and skin boosters to refining surgical techniques. Now, with Belo Neurocosmetics, the clinic once again leads the next wave of science-backed beauty innovation.

The 5 Neurocosmetic breakthroughs:

Belo NeuroGlow Facial – Balances and brightens acne-prone, oily or sensitive skin.

Belo NeuroLift Facial – Lifts, firms and re-energizes aging or stressed skin without injections or downtime.

Belo NeuroRepair Treatment – Doctor-performed skin regeneration using ExoComplex and GHK-CU for cellular renewal.

Belo NeuroBright Treatment – Evens tone and fades pigmentation while strengthening the skin barrier.

NeuroBright Eyes – A non-invasive, express treatment that instantly revitalizes tired under-eyes.

Exclusively available at Belo clinics, all treatments are performed by trained doctors and aestheticians following advanced protocols.

Pressed hard by a pack of homegrown aces midway through the pivotal third round of the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic on Thursday, Fidel Concepcion stood his ground and delivered a steely performance that brought him within striking distance of a long-awaited breakthrough on the Philippine Golf Tour.

In searing heat and on the unforgiving fairways of the Apo Golf and Country Club here, Concepcion produced the day’s lone under-par card – a gritty 71 – to seize the solo lead at four-under 212, three shots clear of veteran Elmer Salvador.

It was a round that spoke volumes about the Filipino-Australian’s composure and resolve. Several times, he’s been in contention over the past eight years, only to see titles slip away in the home stretch, including a runner-up finish to Keanu Jahns at Binitin last month.

But this time, his focus held firm, his touch steady and his patience unflinching amid the heat and baked greens and difficult pin placements that have rattled even the most seasoned campaigners.

‘Tomorrow (Friday), I’ll have a chance to do something I’ve never done before, and it’s a pretty good opportunity to keep proving to myself that eventually, it will happen,’ said Concepcion, who admitted that the pressure came more from within than from the local contenders.

‘There’s a lot more pressure coming from myself than from handling the locals,’ he added. ‘But as long as I can manage that internal pressure, I should be okay.’

To finally break through in the P3.5-million championship, Concepcion said his focus would be simple: ‘keep the ball in play.’

‘If you hit the wrong side of the fairways or the greens, it’s pretty tough to make pars,’ he explained.

And keep the ball in play he did. While others faltered under the course’s demanding setup – where errant shots and tricky lies punished even the slightest mistake – he stayed composed, stringing together steady pars and timely birdies to keep his momentum intact and close in on his first title worth P630,000.

Tied with James Ryan Lam after 36 holes, Concepcion stumbled with a 37 on the front nine as the lead changed hands almost after every hole. However, he regained momentum with a birdie on No. 10 to move back in front, then solidified his position with another birdie on the par-5 13th.

As Davao standouts Salvador, Tony Lascuña, Elee Bisera and Zanieboy Gialon, and Lam faltered one after another, Concepcion remained composed and focused, carding pars over the last five holes to secure a commanding three-stroke lead over Salvador.

Still, the battle is far from over. Breathing down his neck are some of the country’s most accomplished pros – Salvador, Lascuña, Bisera and Gialon – all of them masters of the demanding layout and hungry to reclaim glory.

Salvador, in particular, remains a looming threat. The local favorite has drawn on years of experience navigating Apo’s nuances, keeping himself firmly in the hunt despite the punishing conditions. He had shown flashes of brilliance at Del Monte last week – his first tournament this year – before retiring in the final round due to exhaustion.

This time, however, Salvador – the first back-to-back winner of a regional tour in Cebu from 2012 to 2013 – looks reenergized and poised to make one final push.

Salvador, who matched par at the front but bogeyed the water-guarded par-3 11th, birdied the 14th to pull within two of Concepcion. However, he bogeyed the par-5 finishing hole to settle for a 73 and a 215.

Lascuña moved within one stroke after a frontside 36 but slipped with a double bogey on the 12th. He regrouped with two birdies against a bogey over the last six holes to also card a 73, joining Lam, who rallied with two late birdies in the final three holes to salvage a 75, at third place with 216, four shots behind Concepcion.

Bisera and Gialon likewise stayed within two strokes at the turn but faltered with miscues down the stretch, both finishing with 74s to drop to joint fifth at 217 alongside Korean Jaehyun Jung, who turned in an even-par 72.

Guido van der Valk, last year’s runner-up to Jhonnel Ababa in a sudden-death playoff, struggled with a 75 and slipped to eighth at 218, while Jerson Balasabas and Russell Bautista matched 73s for a share of ninth at 220 with American Collin Wheeler, who stumbled with a 74.

The four-peat seeking University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers reaffirmed their dominance over the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 80-68, to get back on the winning track in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 25 basketball tournament on Tuesday evening, October 21, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Raul Gentallan returned to action with 17 points while Kent Ivo Salarda added 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Lancers regained the solo leadership in the college division with a 6-1 win-loss record while snapping the Warriors’ three-game winning streak.

James Paolo Gica dropped 20 points with eight rebounds and three steals while Kyle Maglinte nailed 17 markers on top of six rebounds, one assist and two steals for the Warriors, who fell to 4-3.

In high school play, Krstc Ryll Da Silva sizzled with 21 points, eight rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block to power the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguar Cubs to a 75-69 whacking of the San Carlos School of Cebu (SCSC) Baby Warriors.

Michael Jay Villasin posted a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds while James Precious Ponce contributed 11 points and three rebounds to help the Jaguar Cubs notch their only second victory in six starts.

Neil Ashley Ibarita finished with 15 points, Joshua Pilapil registered a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds while John Khino Buslon also had 13 points but their efforts proved futile as the Baby Warriors remain listless in five games.

Miss Earth 2025 candidates were formally presented in Filipiniana-inspired ensembles to kick off pre-pageant activities.

Carousel Productions International revealed the official lineup of the pageant’s Silver Anniversary edition at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources compound in Quezon City.

Simply dubbed “Media Moments,” the noontime event saw the candidates wearing Terno and Filipiniana-inspired creations by the Designers Circle of the Philippines.

While the event kicked off the pre-pageant activities, some of the delegates were still in transit to Manila as several experienced connecting flight problems.

This year’s lineup of international delegates including the Philippines’ Joy Barcoma are:

Kleja Sulejmani (Albania)

Hernandez Guillen Florencia Sol (Argentina)

Alexa Roder (Australia)

Lotte Diry (Austria)

Somaya Harun (Bangladesh)

Elizaveta Moger (Belarus)

Paris Cawich (Belize)

Laila Frizon (Brazil)

Hrisiana Hristova (Bulgaria)

Saran Kimlan (Cambodia)

Hailey Hamelin Wilson (Canada)

Latecia Bush (Cayman Islands)

Nathaniel Briones (Chile)

Valentina Arangocollazos (Colombia)

Rachel Chang (Cuba)

Natalie Puskinova (Czech Republic)

Valeria Conde (Dominican Republic)

Smirnova Peñafiel (Ecuador)

Sofia Mayers (England)

Birgit Dimitrijev (Estonia)

Delina Girma (Ethiopia)

Neimi Amanda (Finland)

Sandra Wallet (France)

Melissa Koutsandreas (Germany)

Cheri Nana Ama Asher Ayisi (Ghana)

Luo Shiyuan (Hong Kong)

Soldis Vala Ivarsdottir (Iceland)

Komal Choudhary (India)

Putri Andriani Juficha (Indonesia)

Natalie Guglielmo (Italy)

Shanae Brown (Jamaica)

Reimi Shimizu (Japan)

Yunseo Choi (Korea)

Parami Viengmay (Laos)

Aline Ghanem (Lebanon)

Monica Abigail Swen (Liberia)

Evangeline Chen (Macau)

Vaisnevi Retnam (Malaysia)

Genesis Vera (Mexico)

Elizaveta Kuznetsova (Moldova)

Nomin Erdene (Mongolia)

Khin Khin Hlaing (Myanmar)

Ndeshipewa Tweyaangula (Namibia)

Sony Ghale (Nepal)

Sanne Esmee Walstra (Netherlands)

Aria Keilbach (Northern Marianas)

Julie Boerresen (Norway)

Dua e Khadija (Pakistan)

Massiel Suarez (Peru)

Joy Barcoma (Philippines)

Raquel Camelo (Portugal)

Marie-Laure Juppin de Fondaumiere (Reunion Island)

Parmac Sabina-Gabriela (Romania)

Elizaveta Guryanova (Russia)

Grace McGregor (Scotland)

Nina Karapesev (Serbia)

Ganga Kannam (Singapore)

Jenique Botha (South Africa)

Tilde Loow (Sweden)

Amina Jigge (Tanzania)

Waree Ngamkham (Thailand)

Mira Atagul (Turkiye)

Ana Zafyra (United Arab Emirates)

Mariia Zheliaskova (Ukraine)

Haley Po (USA)

Roziel Borges (Venezuela)

Trinh My Anh (Vietnam)

Abigail Wood (Wales)

Tinewimbo Dupute (Zimbabwe)

The theme of the 25th year edition is “Silver Linings.” Delegates will share their respective ‘silver linings’ during their Miss Earth journey.

The 25th Miss Earth coronation night will unfold on November 5 at The Cove in Okada Manila. Outgoing queen Jessica Lane of Australia will crown her successor. Stay tuned!

As corruption probes into multibillion-peso infrastructure projects intensify, lawmakers and legal luminaries are debating how much authority the government’s anti-graft commissions should actually wield.

On Wednesday, October 22, the Senate opened deliberations on the proposed Infrastructure Anomalies Investigation Act of 2025, which seeks to establish a new Independent People’s Commission (IPC) to probe major public works scandals.

The hearing gathered some of the country’s top legal minds to tackle the formation of the IPC, which differs from the existing Independent Commision for Infrastructure (ICI), which was created in September through an executive order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The two commissions share the same challenge: balancing investigative power with constitutional limits.

Drilon: Keep it fact-finding, not prosecutorial

For former Senate president Franklin Drilon, the IPC should remain as a fact-finding body, while the Ombudsman serves as the primary investigator of government anomalies.

Drilon raised the tendency of adding more people into a system, thereby creating a large bureaucracy. But due to extraordinary circumstances, the IPC or ICI is necesary.

‘We must strengthen our institutions of democracy that would exact accountability, rather than keep on adding bodies. That is why I am in favor of the proposed commission but it must be an ad hoc, it must have a sunset clause,’ Drilon said.

A temporary fact-finding body would expire at the end of the president’s term, he proposed. He also argued that the commissions’ powers must be adequate, but not excessive. For one, it could issue lookout bulletin orders that seek travel monitoring, but not hold departure orders-impeding individuals’ right to travel-that are properly issued by courts.

The bodies would therefore only investigate, not adjudicate, Drilon said.

Puno: Give it independence and teeth

Retired chief justice Reynato Puno, however, took a broader view. He said the proposed IPC should be designed to stand independently of political influence, with means to be unconstrained by other agencies.

This means it would have its own budget, operational autonomy and legal immunity for its members to protect them from retaliatory lawsuits.

“The bill should not only give the commission the power to investigate, but also, the power to file the appropriate charges, and the power to prosecute them,’ Puno said. He likened it to anti-corruption bodies of other countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong.

The proposed bill must also bar lower courts to issue a temporary restraining orders that could stall the IPC’s investigations, limiting such interventions only to the Supreme Court, Puno said.

The constitutional question

Drilon disagreed with Puno, saying prosecution powers for the IPC would violate the Consitution, which vests those functions in the Ombudsman.

Drilon noted that no previous fact-finding commission has had such power. The Agrava Commission that looked into the Ninoy Aquino assassination, and the Philpppine Truth Commission tasked to look into large-scale corruption under the Arroyo administration were not granted prosecutorial powers.

Puno, however, insisted that the power to prosecute will not undermine the Ombudsman’s work, but merely complement it. He explained this is similar to Office of the Solicitor General’s deputizing of prosecutors under the Department of Justice to handle cases in lower courts.

Drilon pointed out that it was because the Solicitor General’s office is part of the DOJ’s organization structure. The IPC, on the other hand, would be a separate, independent entity.

Why this debate matters

The discussion comes amid questions about the scope and limits of the existing ICI, which has been hampered by its lack of subpoena powers despite having to investigate a potentially massive case of kleptocracy in the public works sector.

The ICI’s authority came under scrutiny when the Discayas, the controversial government contractors, decided to withdraw their cooperation from the anti-graft body’s probe. Many cited the commission’s inability to compel testimony or access certain documents-the teeth to seek out the truth in the corruption scandal.

Senate President Tito Sotto, the author of the new bill, said the input from Drilon and Puno would help refine the IPC’s powers.

The challenge is to ensure the body will be effective in rooting out schemes to siphon public funds and abuses of authority without violating constitutional checks and balances.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) denounced last night what it saw as a crackdown of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on student leaders after a subpoena was issued against the head of the student council of the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

ACT vice chairperson and UP Manila professor Carl Marc Ramota said ‘there is a pattern of impunity against anti-corruption advocates.’

The PNP reportedly issued subpoenas to UP-Diliman University Student Council chair Joaquin Buenaflor and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)’s Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral president Tiffany Brillante for their participation in recent protests against corruption.

Jacob Baluyot, associate editor of the PUP’s The Catalyst, was also served a subpoena.

‘This is a clear case of intimidation and a violation of academic freedom and right to freedom of expression,’ Ramota said. ‘This is deplorable. It only shows that the Marcos administration is not serious in addressing corruption in government.’

Ramota warned that this could be the start of a ‘crackdown on dissent to evade accountability.’

The Philippine men’s softball will train in Ishikawa, Japan for two weeks as it embarks on a mission to reclaim the Southeast Asian Games gold medal it lost when the country hosted the biennial event six years ago in Clark, Pampanga.

There, Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines chief Jean Henri Lhuillier said the Blu Boys would play a series of tune-up games as part of their preparation for the Thailand SEA Games set December 9 to 20 in Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani.

Teams that the country will face there are from Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which stole the gold from the Filipinos the last time the sport was held in the SEA Games in Clark.

‘This Japan training camp is a vital step in strengthening the RP Blu Boys’ skills and teamwork as they prepare to represent the country in the SEA Games,’ said Lhuillier. ‘Playing against world-class teams will not only boost their confidence but also refine their strategies for regional competition.’

The Blu Girls are also in the heat of their preparation as they try to extend their reign in Thanyaburi.

‘Cebuana Lhuillier remains fully committed to supporting our national athletes as they strive for excellence and bring pride to the Philippines,’ he added.

Alex Eala and partner Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine stunned the fourth-seeded duo of Great Britain’s Emily Appleton and home bet Qianhui Tang, 6-4, 6-2, for a roaring start in the WTA250 Guangzhou Open Thursday at the Nansha International Tennis Center in China.

The Filipina-Ukrainian duo staged a 5-0 closeout from 1-2 deficit in the second set to complete a sweep in only 68 minutes of play and advance to the quarterfinals of the short 16-pair field.

While Kichenok is a double expert at No. 58 in the world, Eala is way behind at No. 207 compared to the. No. 80 Appleton and No. 69 Tang, making it a huge upset to barge into the next round.

This marked Eala’s sweet return in the doubles play after a first-round loss with Eva Lys of Germany in the Wimbledon last July.

Eala, 20, and Kichenok, 33, will shoot for a Final Four seat against the Russian duo of Polina Kudermetova and Kamilla Rakhimova at a still-to-be-determined game time today.

The Kudermetova-Rakhimova pair escaped with a 2-6, 6-2, 10-3 comeback win over Peangtarn Plipuech of Thailand and Chinese Wushuang Zheng.

It’s a redemption of sorts for Eala after an early exit in the singles with a 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 defeat to lower-ranked and unseeded American foe Claire.

Eala, No. 53, wasted big leads in the second and third sets against Liu, No. 305 and had to go through the qualifiers, for her third straight quick elimination.

She previously bowed out in the qualifiers of the W100 Wuhan Open and the first round of the WTA250 Japan Open.

Her next single stop for a second WTA crown after her WTA125 Guadalajara Open conquest last month in Mexico is the Hong Kong Open on Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 approaching a possible national team return for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games this December in Thailand.

Eala, winner of three bronze medals in the 2022 SEAG in Vietnam, is also slated to play in her first tournament at home when the country hosts a WTA Tour leg early next year to be branded as the Manila or Philippine Open.

Voltai, a startup backed by Aboitiz Power Corp., has launched the country’s first large-scale electric two-wheel battery swap ecosystem, helping businesses cut fuel costs and carbon emissions.

Voltai recently rolled out its latest two-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs), battery swapping stations and management application software tailored to businesses operating vehicle fleets.

With this venture, the company leases EVs and batteries for a fixed rate to help businesses avoid rising vehicle costs and volatile fuel prices. Its battery swapping services also allow electric motorcycles to get back on the road quickly without downtime.

Currently in its pilot phase, Voltai has teamed up with fuel retailer Cleanfuel and co-living brand MyTown to roll out 15 battery swapping stations.

Through Voltai’s mobile application, meanwhile, riders can also check their battery health, find the nearest battery swap station and track their location, swap history and performance.

‘The Voltai pilot preview marks the first step toward building the future of fleet e-mobility in the Philippines – smarter, cleaner and more cost-efficient,’ Voltai co-founder and CEO Fazlur Abdul Rahman said.

‘As a business-to-business solution, it addresses downtime, frequent maintenance and fuel cost challenges for fleet businesses and riders while also providing remote visibility on utilization,’ added Rahman, who also serves as ideation head at 1882 Energy Ventures.