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SOME P3.39 billion has been authorized for the 2023 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) of more than 225,000 National Police (PNP) officials and personnel as a reward for their service in ensuring public safety.

In a statement on Thursday, the Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said release of the funds has been approved, following the directive of the President to strengthen the morale and welfare of government workers, particularly law enforcement frontliners.

DBM said each qualified police personnel, both officer and nonofficer, will receive a bonus equivalent to 45.5 percent of his monthly basic salary as of December 31, 2023.

To qualify, personnel in the First, Second and Third Levels must have earned at least a ‘Very Satisfactory’ rating under the Civil Service Commission-approved Strategic Performance Management System or the equivalent rating under the Career Executive Service Board.

‘Our police officers are among the pillars of our nation. They stand at the frontlines of peace and order every single day. We see their hard work and dedication, so we are making sure they receive what is rightfully due to them,’ Pangandaman was quoted as saying.

The DBM said the funds will be sourced from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund under Republic Act 12116, or the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act.

The grant of the PBB follows the issuance of a Final Eligibility Assessment (FEA) Report dated September 16, 2024, by the Administrative Order 25 Inter-Agency Task Force.

The report confirmed that the PNP had met all the requirements necessary to qualify for the incentive.

‘Through this release, we not only recognize their service but also reaffirm our commitment to a government that rewards performance and accountability,’ Pangandaman said.

The incentive will also provide real relief to the families of police officers-a boost to their household budgets, tuition for their children or additional funds for daily necessities, Pangandaman added.

The PBB, which forms part of the Results-Based Performance Management System of the government, aims to encourage exemplary service and strengthen accountability in the bureaucracy.

It rewards personnel and agencies that meet or exceed performance targets.

The Union Bank of the Philippines announced last Wednesday it has rolled out a biometric verification and authentication technology in subsidiary UnionDigital Bank Inc. bought from London, United Kingdom-based iProov Ltd.

The lender didn’t say in a statement how much it invested in the technology. UnionDigital Bank Chief Information Security Officer Russell Hernandez was quoted in the statement as saying the lender needs ‘a flexible and future-ready solution.as we shift toward risk-based authentication.’

According to the lender, the technology would be used mainly against money mules and ‘account takeovers.’

The latter happens when fraudsters gain access to customers’ bank accounts as if they were the legitimate owner.

MORE than 4,500 residents from National Housing Authority (NHA) resettlement sites in Butuan and Ormoc received various forms of public assistance during two ‘People’s Caravan’ events held in those cities, the agency said.

The caravan in Butuan gathered 1,578 beneficiaries at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Capitol Covered Court, while 2,996 residents joined in barangay Margen, Ormoc.

Both events were organized to bring basic government services closer to families living in housing projects and nearby areas.

Health, livelihood, and welfare programs were offered in partnership with several agencies, including the Departments of Health, of Labor and Employment, and of Agriculture (DA).

Residents received free medical and dental consultations, medicines and access to employment and skills training support.

Fresh farm produce and seedlings were also distributed under the DA’s Kadiwa program, while other agencies provided business registration assistance, cooperative seminars, and scholarship orientations.

The NHA said two more caravans are planned before the end of the year, targeting resettlement communities in General Santos and Iligan cities.

THE Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) yesterday gathered various financial institutions and other concerned government agencies to coordinate all efforts for the recovery of hundreds of billions of pesos in taxpayers’ money that were squandered through anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects.

Among those present during yesterday’s meeting at the ICI were officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Commission on Audit (COA), Civil Service Commission (CSC) Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Insurance Commission (IC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) , Land Registration Authority (LRA), Land Transportation Office, (LTO) Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, Department of Justice (DOJ), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).

In his opening statement, ICI Chairman Andres Reyes said the meeting is an important step to pursue the restitution and recovery assets tied to ghost and substandard flood control and public infrastructure projects.

Reyes stressed that the investigation, prosecution and conviction of those responsible for this corruption scandal would not be sufficient to appease the public’s outrage if the stolen funds are not returned.

‘All those persons responsible for this may be prosecuted and jailed, but to completely heal our nation, justice is not enough. We need restitution,’ Reyes said.

Reyes said restitution is defined under the law as the ‘act of making good or giving equivalent for any loss, damage or injury; and indemnification.’

He lamented that the country is now in crisis because of the flood-control scandal which involves government officials who manipulated the national budget to satisfy their greed.

The money which should have been utilized to uplift the lives of Filipinos were used by corrupt individuals ‘to buy exotic cars, enjoy luxury vacations, and gamble in casinos,’ Reyes said.

Thus, Reyes called on all government agencies to ‘band together and pool our resources’ to go after the assets of those involved in the corruption mess.

It can be recalled that the BIR has already filed a P7.18 billion tax evasion case against contractor-couple Pacifico and Cezarah Discaya.

The ICI’s meeting with government financial institutions came a day after the Discayas manifested their decision to no longer cooperate in the commission’s ongoing investigation.

The Discayas, according to ICI Executive Director and spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka, cited a media interview of ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson where the latter expressed his personal opinion that the couple are not qualified to become state witnesses since they were ‘principal players’ in the flood control corruption scandal.

Hosaka said the DIscayas were of the belief that the ICI would back their bid to become state witnesses because of their continued cooperation.

However, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the Discayas have no right to demand anything from the government at this time since there are processes to be followed in applying for witness protection coverage.

‘It is not up to anyone to dictate how we conduct our evaluation. No one can impose conditions on us. In fact, we will do the evaluation and determine whether they qualify for the program or not,’ Fadullon explained.

Fadullon, however, noted that there has been no indication that the Discayas will also terminate their involvement in the investigation being conducted by the DOJ.

The Discayas have been placed under the DOJ’s protected witnesses after they agreed to execute a ‘tell-all’ affidavit about the flood control projects scandal.

However, the DOJ earlier said evidence and testimonies provided so far by contractor-couple are still not sufficient for them to be considered as state witnesses.

Protecting Go

OMBUDSMAN Jesus Crispin Remulla said one of the issues that the Discayas had been trying to evade was the alleged involvement of Senator Christopher Go’s family in infrastructure projects in the Davao Region.

Remulla said the Discayas refused to provide further details about the alleged joint venture between their construction firm St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corporation and CLTG Builders which is owned by the senator’s family.

The Discayas, according to Remulla, claimed that their license was merely used by another firm involved in these projects.

‘They don’t want to tell us anything. They just said that they don’t have anything and they don’t know anything because they just let their license be borrowed. That’s difficult to accept,’ Remulla said.

Remulla noted that Discayas’ businesses grew big during the past administration because they were able to talk to a lot of people and entered into several contracts.

‘But, they’re not telling us everything. They’re being selective on what they want to say,’ Remulla said.

Don’t divert probe focus-Go

IN a news conference, Sen. Christopher Go said he was willing to cooperate with investigators of the flood-control fund fiasco, but warned against attempts to ‘derail’ the inquiry by ‘diverting’ attention away from the truly guilty parties by dragging innocent people like him into the controversy.

Speaking partly in Filipino, Go lamented how the flood-fund controversy has been used by powerful forces working behind the scene to ‘throw mud’ at people like him.

This, even as he strongly denied he or his family was involved in any ghost or substandard infrastructure project.

Meanwhile, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the DPWH together with the Ombudsman will start looking into the dealings of CLTG and its links with the Discayas.

Dizon said the investigation was an offshoot of the admission of the Discayas before the Senate Blue-Ribbon committee hearing that their businesses grew significantly starting in 2016.

‘So that’s the directive given to me, and that’s what we discussed with Ombudsman ‘Boying’ [Remulla] and that’s what we will do,’ Dizon said.

‘No one will be spared here. No sacred cows. Whoever is implicated by the evidence must be held accountable – it’s that simple,’ he added.

Dizon reiterated that their investigation into the anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects covers the period from 2016 to 2025.

‘Everything the Ombudsman needs, from the Discayas’ contracts from 2016 to 2025, we will provide. Whatever they need, we will give them,’ Dizon added.

Dizon also said that charges are likely to be filed by the Ombudsman against the Discayas and several others before the Sandiganbayan in the coming weeks.

He said the first graft and malversation of public funds case that the DPWH filed last month which involves the Discayas is now being readied by the Ombudsman for filing with the anti-graft court.

‘If they don’t want to cooperate, that’s their decision. But the Ombudsman will go after them to the full extent of the law,’ Dizon said while noting that the Discayas are facing non-bailable offenses.

The Artico Cold Chain of AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. (ALLHC) said it wants to secure major green certification in the next three years as it implements the use of renewable energy projects in its operations.

Robert S. Lao, president and CEO of ALLHC said the company is trying to certify all of its facilities by 2028 as it aspires to become a national cold chain operator that supports both communities and climate goals.

‘Artico’s sustainability initiatives such as the EDGE [Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies] Advanced certification and renewable energy transition are testament to our commitment to building facilities that are not only reliable but also environmentally responsible,’ Lao said.

Artico said its sustainability efforts is aligned with its parent firm Ayala Land Inc.’s medium-term goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

The company currently has a network of seven sites located in Laguna, Cebu, Pampanga, Batangas, Pangasinan and Iloilo.

It has a total capacity of 31,500 pallet positions, and the company said its facilities provide scalable services for industries ranging from food and beverage to pharmaceuticals and industrial products.

According to International Finance Corp.’s (IFC) estimates, the market for cold chain is expected to reach $160 billion in annual investment by 2050 in emerging markets.

Artico Biñan 1 has been awarded an EDGE Advanced certification by certifier Philippine Green Building Initiative.

EDGE Advanced is the second level of the EDGE standard, which means the cold storage facility has met the 40 percent energy efficiency threshold.

The said certification of the IFC, the private sector unit of the World Bank, is a green building certification that quantifies and independently verifies a building’s resource efficiency and low-carbon operations.

According to the assessment report, the facility’s resource-efficient design is expected to deliver 55 percent savings in energy, 26 percent savings in water and a 96 percent reduction in embodied carbon of materials compared to a local baseline.

‘Achieving EDGE Advanced certification positions Artico at the forefront of sustainable cold storage,’ Amena Arif, country manager of IFC Philippines, said.

‘It demonstrates how Philippine logistics facilities can meet global standards for operational efficiency, net-zero readiness, and environmental stewardship.’

By achieving this milestone, Artico Biñan 1 has demonstrated its net-zero readiness. The facility already operates using net-zero emission clean energy, positioning it as an Edge Zero Carbon-ready project committed to securing the more advanced zero carbon.

Artico Mandaue and Artico Biñan 2 are already operating under the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which aims to use of 100 renewable energy in its operations.

A NEW policy research hub has opened in Cotabato City to make development studies more accessible in the Bangsamoro region.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), in partnership with the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), launched a PIDS Corner at the BPDA Library on September 25 during the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Policy Research Forum.

The Cotabato facility is the 27th of its kind established across the country.

The PIDS Corner houses computers and a collection of the institute’s research publications, including Development Research News, Policy Notes, Research Paper Series and the Philippine Journal of Development.

The hub is intended to serve local policymakers, researchers and students in areas where access to policy resources is limited.

‘For nearly two decades, our PIDS Corner program has been a cornerstone of our mission to bring policy research closer to our policymakers, researchers, students, and communities,’ PIDS President Randy Tuaño.

There are currently 14 PIDS Corners in Luzon, six in the Visayas, and seven in Mindanao.

THE Social Security System (SSS) announced last Thursday the activation of its Calamity Loan Program (CLP) for members in Davao Oriental who were affected by the two powerful earthquakes that struck the province last week.

SSS President and CEO Robert Joseph Montes De Claro was quoted in a statement the agency issued that the program aims to give ‘timely financial support to SSS members living or working in the earthquake-affected areas.’

Following the declaration of a State of Calamity for all 11 cities and municipalities in Davao Oriental by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) due to the twin earthquakes, De Claro emphasized the commitment of the SSS to assist its members during this difficult time.

The earthquakes struck last October 10, with the first measuring 7.4 magnitude at 9:43 a.m. and the second with a magnitude of 6.8 at around 9:12 p.m. The epicenter was near Manay, Davao Oriental. The NDRRMC reported that over 200,000 families were affected and nearly 13,000 individuals were displaced.

Qualified members can avail of calamity loans of up to P20,000 at a lowered interest rate. Applications can be filed online through their My.SSS account and approved loans will be credited directly to the member’s enrolled bank account.

The revised CLP guidelines, issued earlier this year, enable faster activation within seven working days of a calamity and feature a reduced interest rate of 7 percent per annum for members with good credit record, down from 10 percent. The streamlined process enables SSS to provide immediate relief to members affected by natural disasters, such as the earthquakes in Cebu and Davao Oriental.

To qualify for the calamity loan, members must meet the following criteria: reside or work in an area declared under a State of Calamity; have at least 36 monthly contributions, with at least six posted within the last 12 months before filing. Individually paying members must have paid six contributions under their current membership type; have an active My.SSS account; have no past due loans or outstanding restructured loans; have not been granted any final benefit; be of legal age and under 65 at the time of application; and, have not been disqualified due to fraud against the SSS.

Employed members are reminded that their employers must be updated on SSS contributions and loan remittances to qualify.

De Claro also pointed to the SSS’s Pension Loan Program (PLP), which was also recently enhanced allowing retirement pensioners to borrow up to P300,000.

Now, survivor pensioners can also avail of the PLP and borrow up to P150,000, he added.

‘Thus, there is a loan facility for actively contributing members and for retirement or survivor pensioners,’ De Claro said through the statement.

SARAH ABABA clawed her way back from five strokes down with a fearless charge on the closing holes then outlasted Chanelle Avaricio in a pressure-packed second playoff hole to capture the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Del Monte Championship in dramatic fashion on Thursday.

Trailing for most of the day and facing what looked like an insurmountable deficit, Ababa summoned the composure and tenacity of a seasoned warrior and birdied three of the last five holes with clinical precision to cap a final round 70 that put her at 211.

That was just enough to catch a faltering Avaricio, who stumbled home with a 72 after a sizzling start.

‘I didn’t expect to win-I was 2-down with two holes to go,’ said Ababa, who trailed by as many as five shots midway through the final round after Avaricio scorched the front nine with a 33 while she managed only a 36. ‘I was totally scared.’

But golf, as ever, is a cruel test of nerves.

Ababa mounted a stunning comeback that forced a sudden-death playoff at five-under total.

The two players matched par on their return trip to the par-five 18th, but on the second playoff hole, Ababa delivered under pressure and made a crisp drive and a second shot followed by a precise approach from 75 yards to set up a winning birdie.

Avaricio, clearly rattled, couldn’t respond.

‘It was the perfect yardage for me-75 yards. I’m really confident from inside 100 yards,’ said Ababa, who pocketed the P125,000 top purse for her fourth career title in a 12-year pro journey.

The victory was especially sweet for the Davaoeña veteran, who lost in similar sudden-death fashion to Princess Superal at the Caliraya Springs Championship last August.

But this one meant the most for her.

‘This victory is so very special for me because I didn’t expect this at all,’ she said.

Ababa, who drew inspiration from her parents who came all the way from Davao to support her, said she was especially motivated by her father, former pro golfer Edgar, who served as her caddie for all three days.

The win couldn’t have come at a better time and servedas a major confidence booster as the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour heads to her hometown of Davao for the next two legs at Apo Golf and South Pacific.

For Avaricio, the loss was a bitter pill.

The former Alabama State standout looked poised to run away with the title after carding a scorching 33 on the front nine.

Avaricio, who settled for P82,000, unraveled under the mounting pressure of the back nine, bogeying Nos. 10, 11 and 12 in rapid succession.

And although she momentarily steadied with a birdie on No. 15, a bogey on the 17th left her clinging to a one-shot lead entering the final hole.

She had one last chance to close it out, but failed to convert on the reachable par-five 18th while Ababa calmly rolled in a six-foot birdie to force extra holes-and ultimately snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The loss marked a stinging reversal for Avaricio, who had dominated at Forest Hills earlier in the season. But on this day, with the trophy in sight, it was Ababa who had the mettle to finish the job.

Martina Miñoza closed strong with three birdies over the last six holes for a 68 to secure a career-best third-place finish at 212 worth P66,000 and last year’s Order of Merit champion Harmie Constantino saw her late charge stall with a string of pars for fourth at 213 after a 70.

Tiffany Lee also delivered a solid finish, birdieing two of her last three holes to post a 68 and claim solo fifth at 215. She hopes to carry this momentum into the upcoming Davao legs at Apo and South Pacific.

Daniella Uy, who was just one stroke behind leader Avaricio after 36 holes, struggled in the final round. She went birdie-less and carded a 76, marred by a double bogey on the 17th, slipping to sixth place at 216. The 2023 champion couldn’t replicate her previous success.

Velinda Castil stumbled with a 74, dropping into a tie for seventh at 217 alongside Kristine Fleetwood, who faltered with a 75. Mafy Singson, coming off a strong second-round 69, also fell back with a 75 to finish ninth at 218.

Florence Bisera, riding high after a comeback win in Negros Occidental and a breakthrough victory in Thailand last month, turned in a disappointing final round of 74. She ended in 10th place at 220 in the sixth leg of this year’s LPGT.

VICE President Sara Duterte on Thursday said that neither the Office of the Vice President (OVP) nor the Department of Education (DepEd) handles flood control projects.

‘Sigurado ako na hindi aabot sa akin ang flood control scandal,’ Duterte said in a news conference in Quezon City [I’m sure the flood control scandal will not reach me].

She explained that from the start, neither the OVP nor DepEd had any involvement in flood control projects, adding that contractors and even former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan can attest that she had no projects with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

‘In fact, hindi nga nila masabi ngayon na may insertion ang Vice President, kasi wala naman talaga,’ Duterte said [In fact, they can’t even say there were any insertions linked to the Vice President because there were none].

However, she said some may try to connect the issue to her, possibly because Sen. Christoper Go, an ally of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is being implicated following the Office of the Ombudsman’s order for the DPWH to investigate the possible links of contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya to CLTG Builders, a company owned by Go’s father.

‘Doon nila siguro gagawan ng kwento na part na: ako, si FPRRD nasa gitna, at si Bong Go sa other side,’ she said [Maybe that’s where they’ll try to create a story, with me on one side, FPRRD in the middle, and Bong Go on the other].

Professional crisis

DUTERTE in the same news conference said her professional crisis occurred when she assumed the vice presidency while also serving in President Marcos’s Cabinet.

‘I was wondering, why am I being attacked? I’m not doing anything. I’m just working. And that’s my commitment too. When I was campaigning, I committed to the government that I will serve the country faithfully,’ Duterte said partly in Filipino.

She added that even though she was appointed to the Cabinet as Education secretary and was overseeing project rollouts in the Office of the Vice President, she still faced criticism from the administration.

‘That was the professional crisis that I went through. It took me a while to realize my worth and value as a government official,’ she emphasized.

Duterte said it took her several months to realize that the treatment she and her office received was not right.

‘I will not endure that. And I will not ask for some sort of peace,’ she said, stressing that she decided to step back and let the administration determine her next steps.

Personal interests

MALACAÑANG on Thursday accused Duterte of pursuing ‘personal interests’ during her time as Education secretary, saying her actions were not aligned with the President’s directives.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Duterte cannot claim that Marcos’ leadership was unclear when her decisions in office prioritized self-interest over national priorities.

‘Hindi talaga niya malalaman ang direktiba ng Pangulo kung hindi siya marunong makinig at nagsasarili ng diskarte para sa pansariling interest [She cannot be aware of the President’s directives if she does not know how to listen and instead pursues strategies for personal interests],’ Castro said.

The Palace official issued the statement after Duterte, in a press briefing, unleashed a barrage of criticisms against the administration, including Marcos’ alleged unclear directives.

Castro cited alleged irregularities under Duterte’s DepEd

leadership, including the ‘ghost students’ scheme and the distribution of spoiled or moldy meals in a school feeding program.

‘Hindi rin direktiba ng Pangulo ang ginawa noon ng DepEd sa pamumuno ng Bise Presidente na mag-deliver ng bulok, may amag na pagkain sa mga estudyante sa feeding program [It was not the President’s directive what DepEd, under the Vice President, did when it delivered rotten or moldy food to students in the feeding program],’ she said.

Confidence rooted in integrity

IN the same press briefing, Duterte also questioned the President’s expression of confidence that he would not be dragged into the flood control anomalies, saying it is premature to clear himself, as the inquiries are ongoing.

Castro, in response, said Marcos’ confidence is rooted in his integrity.

‘Magiging confident ang isang tao kapag alam niya na ang ginagawa niya ay para sa bayan at hindi pansarili lamang tulad ng iba diyan.’Yan ang ating Pangulo, matapang at taas noo sa mga sinasabi [A person becomes confident when he knows his actions are for the nation and not for personal gain, unlike others.That is our President-courageous and upright],’ Castro said.

Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan supports the return of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) powers to regulate, trade, and import rice, but wants additional stringent safeguards to prevent abuse, ensure accountability, and protect both farmers and consumers.

At the second public hearing on the amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform said that any revisions to the law and restoration of NFA powers will be counterproductive without assuring adequate checks are in place.

‘Lagi ko itong sinasabi: Kumuha na lang tayo ng bato, pukpok natin sa ulo natin dahil sakit lang ng ulo ang mangyayari kapag ibabalik sa inyo nang walang safeguards yung kapangyarihan,’ he told the NFA during the hearing.

The senator is proposing two major safeguards before reinstating the NFA’s powers under his proposed RTL amendments: a citizens participatory audit, with the active involvement of the private sector, farmers’ organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability; and the requirement of an approved budget allocated for rice importation contracts, to prevent the NFA from engaging in overpriced or irregular import transactions.

He recalled that when he was food security czar during the Aquino administration, he turned down four offers of overpriced imported rice, resulting in P7 billion in savings.

Addressing the NFA, he emphasized that the agency should capitalize on its leverage as a ‘big buyer’ in the international rice market. By exercising prudent negotiation and fiscal discipline, the NFA can reject any import offers that exceed its approved budget for rice procurement, ensuring that every transaction safeguards public funds and upholds market integrity.

Pangilinan also urged the NFA to institutionalize measures for storing aging rice stock in their warehouses, and flagged the agency amid reports from Isabela province that it was buying from traders rather than from farmers.

‘Kailangan lang maging masinop kayo doon sa pagbabantay ng mga ganitong klaseng intervention,’ the senator said.

‘Kaya nga importante na kapag binigyan ulit kayo ng kapangyarihan, maliwanag yung accountability, maliwanag may transparency, at maliwanag may citizens participation para mag-behave itong mga magtatangkang abusuhin yung kapangyarihang muling ibinalik,’ he added.

At Wednesday’s hearing, the senator took a step closer to amending the RTL, which he said has poisoned the local rice industry by facilitating the entry of more imported rice rather than providing support for local farmers and bringing down the price of rice in the domestic market.