Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The Philippines is expected to benefit from a $25-million investment from the International Finance Corp. (IFC).

The outlay is intended for an infrastructure fund launched by Singapore-based Seraya. Projects are related to digital networks and renewable energy.

The private-sector focused unit of the World Bank Group disclosed this on Oct. 2.

The IFC said the fund will channel money into data centers, fiber networks, battery storage, smart grids and solar and wind projects through two investment ‘sleeves.’

One is the Developed Asia sleeve, which covers Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea.

Another is the Southeast Asia sleeve, which will focus on emerging markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Seraya was founded in 2020 and has offices in Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Seoul. It specializes in digital infrastructure and the energy transition.

$1-billion fund

The infrastructure fund is seeking to raise between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. IFC’s proposed $25-million equity commitment will go to the Southeast Asia sleeve.

The IFC noted that its participation is expected to be crucial in helping Seraya secure an initial closing. This, given the manager’s short track record in emerging markets.

Additional capital from institutional investors and development finance institutions will be needed to meet the fund’s target, the IFC added.

‘The fund’s Southeast Asia sleeve aims to increase access to quality infrastructure. to address significant gaps in infrastructure in emerging markets,’ the IFC said.

‘In addition to strengthening the infrastructure equity market in emerging markets, the fund’s success will demonstrate the commercial viability of the equity fund model and open new pathways for institutional investors to invest in the region,’ it added.

For fiscal 2025, the IFC committed a record $71.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries. This entails mobilizing private capital in support of poverty reduction and climate resilience. /rwd

Being in an underdog situation a couple of times in his career could come in handy for Javi Gomez de Liano as he now looks to play a key role in Magnolia’s quest to end its long quest for a PBA championship.

Gomez de Liano was one of the major additions to the Hotshots roster, bringing with him not only his experience playing overseas but also the hope that he can carry the form he did during the Terrafirma Dyip’s unlikely run to the 2024 Philippine Cup playoffs.

‘I hope I reciprocate what I did at Terrafirma and hopefully help this team, Magnolia, win the championship,’ Gomez de Liano said ahead of the Hotshots’ season-opening match against sibling rival Barangay Ginebra on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Long been considered title favorites, Magnolia is actually on a long drought, with its last taste of glory being the 2018 Governors’ Cup.

So it somehow replicates Gomez de Liano’s time with the tailend of University of the Philippines’ dark ages in the UAAP and the aforementioned Cinderella run of Terrafirma.

‘[The Terrafirma situation] wasn’t a new situation for me because back in 2016 when I was part of the UP team that no one likes to play, being the underdog and not the crowd favorites,’ Gomez de Liano said.

‘I brought that same mindset to Terrafirma. We were always counted out, but we had [Coach Johnedel Cardel], Juami [Tiongson], Stephen [Holt] and the rest of the players who all wanted to prove to ourselves that we shouldn’t be counted out. ‘True enough, we made the playoffs that year, and we had a lot of upsets against the big teams so I’m very proud of that. I learned a lot from that season. Actually, that’s the greatest season for me,’ added Gomez de Liano, who also described that lineup as the ‘greatest Terrafirma team of all.’

The 27-year-old was acquired from Terrafirma, who owned his rights, in August and signed a three-year contract with Magnolia, putting stability to a career that had stops in Japan and South Korea. His time in the B.League and Korean Basketball League may also benefit the Hotshots in many ways. ‘I feel like I could become a vet to the young ones, but at the same time keeping that rookie mindset in terms of learning from the veterans and try to pick up something new from them,’ he said.

House members on Friday threatened to slash the proposed P902.8-million budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) after Vice President Sara Duterte skipped, for the second year in a row, the plenary deliberations on the matter.

Adding to the acrimony was a letter Duterte wrote to the House appropriations committee saying she would attend the budget hearings on two conditions.

First is for President Marcos to also personally defend the proposed P27.3-billion budget for the Office of the President.

Second is for the House committee on good government to confirm that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had already lifted its lookout bulletin orders on her staff. The committee was the same body that looked last year into Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds.

‘Barest minimum’

Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez, a member of the appropriations committee said the panel decided not to reply to Duterte’s letter, while other lawmakers scoffed at her demands.

‘Enough is enough, enough of her brattiness,’ Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said.

‘If she can afford to show up in the Senate and applaud the former Senate President in his privilege speech, which is definitely not part of her mandate as the Vice President, why can’t she spare a few moments of her time attending the official function as Vice President to defend the budget of her office?’ De Lima said.

She was referring to the speech delivered by Sen. Francis Escudero on Oct 1, which railed against former Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said Duterte was already being unreasonable, warning that the House would further reduce her budget ‘at the proper time.’

ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio also served notice that the OVP budget might be brought down ‘to its barest minimum.’

‘Such a waste’

It was actually the Department of Budget and Management that raised the proposed OVP budget to P902.8 million, after the OVP submitted a lower request of P733 million, that same amount it got last year.

Tinio also drew attention to Duterte’s recent trips abroad. ‘She keeps saying that she spent for these trips out of her own pocket, but she herself admitted that because she is the Vice President, it is the Filipino people paying for the travel expenses of her staff and security detail,’ he said.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, vice chair of the appropriations panel, said it was ‘such a waste that [Duterte] didn]t go because she could have at least defended and explained to the plenary why she needed that increase.’

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon told reporters ‘The Vice President is not in a position to make demands [which show] . her lack of respect for the budget process.’

On Thursday night, the House voted in plenary to terminate deliberations on the OVP budget. This means any changes must now be made during the period of amendments, which starts next week up to Oct. 13.

Since she broke her ties with Marcos beginning with her resignation as education secretary in June last year, Duterte’s proposed budget for her office became drastically reduced by the appropriations committee then headed by Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

In a better time, such as the start of the Marcos administration, she could propose a much higher budget-like the P2.3 billion which Co approved in 2022.

But last year, the Vice President was left with her current budget of P733 million after Co-who would soon be embroiled in the corruption scandal over flood control projects-slashed the OVP’s budget by more than P1 billion. He even reminded Duterte’s staff that funds allotted to her office were ‘the people’s money.’

The European Union (EU) has released pound 800,000 or an estimated P54,380,800 in humanitarian aid to support relief operations for communities struck by recent cyclones and floods in the Philippines.

In their official statement released on Friday, October 3, the EU announced that the funds will be directed toward emergency assistance.

‘The funding will help address the most urgent needs of people in the hardest hit areas, including communities that are also affected by conflict,’ the EU said.

‘This allocation will be used to provide emergency relief in areas such as shelter, health, and water and sanitation,’ they added.

This latest contribution builds on the pound 6.5 million (an estimated P441,800,000) in humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness funding the EU has already provided to the Philippines this year.

That amount includes pound 500,000 (or almost P34,000,000) earmarked in July following an earlier string of tropical cyclones.

The EU delegation to the Philippines said it is also monitoring the aftermath of the Sept. 30 earthquake in Cebu.

‘The EU expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and stands ready to provide additional support pending on-going needs assessment,’ they said.

On Friday, October 3, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council reported that 457,554 individuals or 128,294 families were affected by the earthquake. /das

President Marcos had approved the amnesty application of nine former rebels, in a first batch of grantees more than a year after he set off such a process.

In a document for the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) dated Sept. 24, the Office of the President listed eight former communist rebels and one former Moro rebel as amnesty grantees.

According to the NAC, five of them are women and four are men. Two of the women are ages 20 and 21 years old.

The NAC is the agency mandated to oversee the amnesty process, receiving and evaluating applications through its Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) established throughout the country.

The commission had aimed to help facilitate the reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society, and for those still applying, grant them safe conduct pass so they can go through the legal processes without fear of being arrested on account of their pending criminal charges.

Confidence building

When he issued four proclamations in November 2023 to set off the amnesty grant for four rebel groups, the President said he did so in the spirit of achieving peace and reconciliation, and build confidence as part of a broader national strategy to address the root causes of insurgency and conflict.

The lone Moro rebel granted amnesty is Basit Sarip Abbas, a top commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao del Sur who is now a Member of Parliament (MP) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

‘We are happy that MP Abbas has finally achieved his dream of receiving amnesty from the government. It is our hope that he will serve as an inspiration to his other comrades to apply for amnesty and complete their transformation as peaceful, productive and law-abiding members of society,’ Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., himself a former rebel-soldier who joined the 1989 coup attempt, said in a statement on Friday.

Historic milestone

Galvez described the amnesty grants as a ‘historic milestone’ in the country’s journey toward complete healing and reconciliation.

‘We are very happy with this positive development and we thank President Marcos Jr. for granting amnesty to these individuals. We hope that more names will be released soon,’ Galvez added.

He hoped more eligible individuals will avail of the amnesty grant before such opportunity ends in March 2026.

On Nov. 22, 2023, President Marcos issued Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405, and 406 granting amnesty to members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade, Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, MILF and Moro National Liberation Front, respectively.

The House of Representatives concurred with the proclamations on Dec. 15, 2023, while the Senate did so on March 4, 2024 and March 13

Lihangin Wind Energy Corp. (LWEC) will build point-to-point transmission facilities to directly connect its wind park in Northern Samar to the power grid.

LWEC secured on Thursday the Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of its proposed project. That is, to develop its own point-to-point transmission facilities for its 206.25-megawatt San Isidro Wind Power Project in Northern Samar.

LWEC is a joint venture of Aboitiz Renewables Inc., Vivant Energy Corp. and Singapore-based Vena Energy.

The facilities would be linked to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Calbayog substation. However, NGCP will operate and maintain these facilities.

LWEC said building the transmission assets was necessary to supply the grid system with added power.

Online by February 2026

The firm tapped Powerchina Philippines Corp. as its engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the said planned transmission facilities.

The wind park is designed to have 33 wind turbine generators, with commercial operation expected by February 2026.

‘LWEC is one with Department of Energy’s vision of boosting the generation of electricity from renewable sources and reducing the environmental impact brought by the use of traditional fossil fuels,’ it said in a separate document.

The group also said that the timely completion and operation of the wind project could jack up the Visayas’ electricity needs. The grid was placed under ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ alert ‘several times’ last year due to thin reserve margins.

In a yellow alert, the power supply can still meet demand, but it will serve as a warning that when a plant breaks down one way or another, it will result in brownouts.

A red alert, meanwhile, means that supply is no longer sufficient to meet demand. Brownouts could happen if demand is not managed. INQ

Severe Tropical Storm Paolo (international name: Matmo) is moving west-northwest toward southern China after exiting the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said on Saturday, Oct. 4.

In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted all the tropical wind signals advisory.

However, they said Paolo’s outer rain bands may still bring storm to gale-force gusts over Batanes, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales, and Bataan.

Moderate to rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, mainland Cagayan, Isabela and Bataan. The bureau warned that small vessels and motorbancas should avoid sailing in these conditions.

Pagasa located Paolo’s center at 440 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. It retained its momentum, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, gusts of up to 135 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 20 kph.

Paolo may re-intensify into a typhoon while moving over the West Philippine Sea.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area being monitored outside the Philippine area of responsibility now has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. /das

The United Nations (UN) marks 80 years of its founding in a state of uncertainty with its credibility increasingly in question.

The UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) high-level week was dominated by Palestine and the war in Gaza. This brought into sharp focus the UN’s failure to live up to its core mission and primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. True, it is the big powers who are to blame for the UN’s paralysis in stopping the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. But UN inaction and lack of activist diplomacy on issues of war and peace have left its reputation damaged.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly warned that trust in global institutions is at a breaking point with ailing multilateral organizations in need of urgent reform. The loss of faith in multilateralism, he has said, is because people see ‘broken promises, unmet commitments, double standards, and vast inequalities’.

Although multilateralism has been under stress for, well, over a decade, United States President Donald Trump’s conduct has accelerated this trend and magnified the pressure. US disengagement from the UN is reflected in its exit from the World Health Organization, Unesco, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and decision to stop funding and withdraw from the Human Rights Council. Trump’s unilateralist actions have also shown contempt for the principles of the UN Charter.

Other big states and regional powers have also played their part by acting in defiance of international law and violating the UN Charter. In a recent essay in The Economist coauthored with Helen Clark, former UNSG Ban Ki-moon wrote: ‘The UN is slipping into dysfunction as some of its traditional champions, notably the United States, retreat from multilateral cooperation, cut funding, and disregard the rule of law when it suits them.’

The contrast could not have been sharper during UNGA’s high-level week. Kicking off the debate, Guterres said the world needed the UN’s ‘unique legitimacy’ and convening power.

Just before he spoke, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said multilateralism is at a new crossroads and lamented the UN’s weakening authority while calling on it to revive its role as a ‘promoter of equality, peace, sustainable development, diversity, and tolerance’.

In fact, the common refrain in speeches at the debate was the UN’s ineffectiveness at a time when it is needed most to deal with multiple challenges.

Beyond these speeches, the widespread view across the world is that the UN has become increasingly irrelevant as it acts as a bystander in wars and crises. If the UN is seen as failing to deliver on its core goal of maintaining international peace and security, the rest of what it does (some of it quite well; say, on the development pillar of its mandate and humanitarian initiatives) fades into insignificance.

That is the Security Council’s responsibility but deadlock and rivalry between the big powers-its five veto-wielding permanent members-prevents the Council from acting. Nothing illustrates this better than the two main wars of the moment in Gaza and Ukraine.

The US has been the obstacle in ending the war Israel imposed on Gaza, exercising the veto six times in the past two years to scotch ceasefire resolutions. This marks a continuity in Washington’s policy which over decades has seen it use the veto 51 times to shield Israel. On Ukraine, Russia has used the veto several times on resolutions against its 2022 invasion. This has left the Security Council completely logjammed.

In any case, what is consequential to the UN’s effectiveness and credibility is reform of the Security Council. What lies at the heart of UN dysfunction is the council’s paralysis. As usual, calls for its reform were heard from world leaders during UNGA. Negotiations have been going on in the UNGA for over 20 years but with little progress except agreement on expanding the Council.

The principal disagreement is between countries that aspire for permanent seats for themselves and others who oppose more permanent members and, instead, propose enlarging the Council by adding more elected, nonpermanent members. This has put the G4-Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil-at odds with the Uniting for Consensus countries led by Italy and including Pakistan.

Even if the impasse is overcome, reform is a complicated process that requires amendment of the UN Charter. This involves the UNGA adopting a resolution by a two-thirds majority, which then has to be ratified by at least two-thirds of the UN membership as well as the P5. This makes reform a remote possibility. It will be up to the UNGA to mount pressure on the big powers to allow the council to function. Unfortunately, the prospect of that too is not bright. The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families now have easier access to free medical consultations and medicine as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) launched its ‘Alagang Owwa Botika’ program on Friday.

Owwa Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan led the launch of the pharmacy program in Pasay City, designed to provide continued care and support to OFWs and their families even after they finish their stints abroad.

Caunan said the program is part of the ‘Alagang Owwa: Yakap at Gamot’ in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and private VidaCure Pharmacy.

Under Philhealth’s Yakap (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program), beneficiaries can receive up to P20,000 worth of medicines per year from accredited pharmacies.

In the case of OFWs and their dependents, they may go directly to the Owwa head office in Pasay City or to the Gateway Mall in Quezon City. For those in the south, they may go to Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

The free medical checkups at Owwa may be availed of every Friday with Yakap-accredited doctors.

Prescriptions issued during consultations can then be used to claim medicines at the Owwa ‘botika’ (pharmacy), also in Pasay City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.

Kimberly Ondona Badong, who had just returned from Oman after developing hypertension, stressed the importance of expanding the program outside Metro Manila.

The mother of six said they live in Maguindanao and she hopes services would also be offered at Owwa regional offices.

In her speech, Caunan said the ‘Lab for All’ mobile medical and clinical laboratory truck donated by first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos would also soon be deployed to deliver free diagnostic services such as X-rays, ultrasounds and blood tests.

Caunan assured that the ‘Alagang Owwa Botika,’ which is still in the pilot stage, would soon be offered nationwide.

‘Let’s make every Friday a Yakap Day. We want our OFWs, active, retired or those who have returned for good, to feel that they remain cared for. Even when they are no longer earning abroad, they can still rely on government support for their health needs,’ she said.

From Mexico City to Manila, the United Kingdom to the United States, Taylor Swift fans hooted, sobbed happy tears and danced their way through the pop star’s latest album release, ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’

Swift’s 12th studio offering dropped Friday, and her Swifties were more than ready for it. Many were dripping in the color orange to usher in her latest era at gatherings around the world. Some closed their eyes to take in the fresh dozen tracks amid the chaotic crowds around them.

José María Bastida, a writer, rocked an orange sequin tuxedo jacket at a watch party in a Mexico City restaurant serving Swift-themed cocktails, including a tequila heavy ‘Ophelia’s Juice’ and a liquored up ‘Showgirl Slushy.’

‘I feel like it’s super experimental,’ he said of the album, ‘because it’s supposed to bring a lot of new stuff and we haven’t seen that more sexy side of Taylor Swift.’

Fans snatch up ‘Showgirl’ in all its variants

In Los Angeles, the fervent lined up at midnight at a Target to snap up the new music on vinyl and CD. Maria-Elena Garcia rented a hotel room and drove in from Santa Barbara. ‘I like a lot of her values and like we have a lot similar values. For example, cats,’ she said.

In theaters, Swift is schooling AMC on how to treat her fans. The theater chain has granted special permission for moviegoers to sing and dance their way through screenings of ‘The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,’ in select theaters for the weekend only. The film is screening around the world. Added bonus: No trailers beforehand.

Fiona Cela, 11, in London woke up at 4:30 a.m. to listen to the album. She then headed out with her mother to the studios of Global’s Capital radio, hoping for a glimpse of Swift as she gave an interview there. On her agenda after that: school.

‘Taylor as a person is just super kind and loving,’ she said, her wrists stacked with Swift-themed friendship bracelets. ‘Her music is so inspiring.’

Swifties celebrate at a special pub

At the Black Dog pub in London, thought to be the location for Swift’s song ‘Black Dog’ from her last album, vacationing American Natalie Richmond, 43, showed up to mark the occasion. Her two Swiftie daughters woke her up extra early to listen to the album.

‘We actually lived in Nashville early on so we’ve been following her ever since she began,’ Richmond said. ‘She’s relatable. She’s the person that everybody wants to be friends with. We all listen to her music and think I’d love to go out and hang out with her.’

Longtime Swiftie Helen Brabant-Bleakley showed up at the Black Dog to mark her 30th birthday, wearing a teal sash with gold lettering that read: ‘The Life of a Birthday Girl.’

‘My good friend Taylor Swift gave me the best present ever by dropping a new album,’ she said, noting she’s already picked a couple of favorite cuts from the album: ‘Father Figure’ and ‘Elizabeth Taylor.’

Drag queens lip-sync Swift as hundreds cheer

A Manila mall went full Swift with a drag show, games, raffles and performers. Hundreds of screaming fans dressed in showgirl gear braved rain to celebrate at an outdoor amphitheater.

Among them was Cyril Aviguetero, 18. With a red showgirl head piece complementing his outfit, he was most excited about Track 7, ‘Actually Romantic.’ Asked why, he mused: ‘I’m not sure, but I’m also trying to find what’s actually romantic in my life,’ he said.

Other Swift events were held around the Philippines.

Kansas City’s Union Station was lit up in orange and teal in celebration. Musician Chloe Rose entertained Swift fans with four hours of covers at a spot there ahead of the release as the crowd made friendship bracelets and sipped on themed cocktails.

Number balloons for ’12’ floated around as Rose sang and played guitar and keyboards. Fan Tara Pickarell showed up but chose solitude to later take in the new work. ‘I have to be in my own space to listen to it. I need my own little bubble.’

Pickarell is happy the album is pop heavy.

‘I do like her slower songs, but I’m excited to get back to like 1989 ‘Reputation’ vibes,’ she said.

Showgirl pop-up draws lines for photos with props

In New York, hundreds of fans lined up to walk through a three-day Spotify pop-up offering five showgirl-themed rooms. They took photos with feathery boas and other props.

‘I feel like there’s so few moments like this where you actually get to connect with other fans,’ said Ali Meehan. ‘Like we all kind of listen in our rooms, alone in our houses.’

This time around, Swift includes abundant nods to fiancé Travis Kelce amid the glitz, glamour and Las Vegas lechery of it all. This Swift isn’t waiting in the wings, and she’s definitely not holed up alone.

‘This is so different from the last album, but in a really good way,’ said Hannah Zuckerbraun, a fan in a Swift T-shirt among Target-goers in Los Angeles. ‘Like, it’s a lot happier sounding. I feel like it’s perfect and upbeat.’