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Police caught a businesswoman for allegedly selling non-food relief kits valued at P15.5 million and bearing the logo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.

The suspect was entrapped while selling 6,000 kits containing clothing for P2,588 each at a warehouse on Juan Luna Street in Barangay 56, Tondo, Manila, on Thursday night, according to CIDG public information chief Maj. Helen dela Cruz in an interview in Camp Crame on Friday.

‘You will see the DSWD logo there. The Bagong Pilipinas logo is there and, worse, you’ll see ‘not for sale’ there,’ CIDG National Capital Region chief Lt. Col. John Guiagui said in the interview.

Guiagui explained that the operation stemmed from a tip from a private informant, prompting them to coordinate with the DSWD.

‘They say they’re a supplier of the DSWD. They say it’s an excess supply. Nonetheless, they shouldn’t sell it. If they will sell it and it’s no longer the government’s property, it shouldn’t be packed with markings of the DSWD and ‘not for sale,” he added.

Guiagui further said the businesswoman told operatives that she had previously sold relief packs to a buyer, but they have yet to identify how much was sold and to whom.

‘They (suspect) say they can reproduce more,’ the CIDG NCR chief added.

Approached by reporters in Camp Crame, the arrested suspect declined to comment.

According to dela Cruz, the suspect faces charges for violating Section 19 (e) of Republic Act No. 10121 or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, which prohibits ‘selling of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities which are intended for distribution to disaster victims.’

The suspect also faces charges for violating Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code, which pertains to the illegal use of insignia, the CIDG public information chief further noted.

‘The items discovered during the entrapment operation. are in no way owned, operated or affiliated with the DSWD. No DSWD personnel were involved,’ dela Cruz claimed, citing a statement from the department.

‘The department expresses its full support for the ongoing investigation and is prepared to take all necessary legal actions against those found responsible,’ she added. /apl

Alex Eala bowed out of the Suzhou Open WTA 125 after losing to Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (0), in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Eala, seeded fourth in the tournament, blew match point in the third set before being blanked 7-0 in the tiebreak for another early exit in her Asian swing. The Filipino tennis ace, ranked No. 58 in the WTA, was coming off a semifinal finish in the Jingshan Tennis Open last weekend.

It was a frustrating loss for Eala, who won three straight games for a 6-5 edge in the decider and even reached match point at 40-15 before Golubic rallied to force the breaker.

Alex Eala exits in the quarterfinals of the Suzhou Open WTA 125 as Viktorija Golubic rallies for the 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (0) victory. Eala played all her matches in Suzhou in three sets. She beat Katarzyna Kawa in the round of 32, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, then survived a marathon three-hour battle against Belgium’s Greet Minnen, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 7-5, on Wednesday.

Eala has now reached the quarterfinals in all her campaigns since her Guadalajara Open 125 title last month, but has not advanced further.

Golubic, ranked No. 70 and seeded sixth in Suzhou, advances to the semifinals against No. 2 seed Tatjana Maria of Germany.

She tied the match against Eala with a strong second set, racing to a 4-0 lead before closing it out 6-2.

The Philippines cannot achieve food security, climate resilience, or inclusive development without radically rethinking how it treats its farmers.

For decades, agricultural policy has been fragmented, underfunded, and misaligned with the constitutional mandate to protect subsistence producers.

The devolution of the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the 1991 Local Government Code was intended to empower local governments. Instead, it hollowed out technical capacity, created fiscal disparities, and left farmers exposed to climate shocks, market failures, and institutional neglect.

Across rural barangays, the technical vacuum is staggering. In Northern Mindanao, there is only one Agricultural Extension Technician (AET) for every 150 barangays-far below the international standard of one technician per 1-2 barangays.

This gap undermines climate-resilient farming, pest management, and market access. Local governments, constrained by limited Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA), rely on Local Farmer Technicians (LFTs) who receive a mere ?4,000/month-hardly a substitute for a professionalized extension corps.

Global models offer a way forward. Vietnam and Ethiopia have re-centralized agricultural extension under national agencies while preserving local coordination.

These hybrid systems-where the national government provides personnel and training, and LGUs offer logistical support-have improved service quality and accountability.

The Philippines must learn from these successes and re-establish a centralized Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DAFW) to ensure real-time deployment of technicians, centralized data systems, and integrated disaster response.

But this is not just a technical issue-it is a constitutional imperative. Article XIII, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to ‘protect the rights of subsistence farmers and fisherfolk.’

Yet current arrangements focus narrowly on production, neglecting social protection, grievance redress, and income security.

Farmers face rising input costs, climate shocks, and market volatility without adequate safety nets. Fragmented systems failed to respond effectively to African Swine Fever and recurring typhoons. A re-nationalized DAFW would enable coordinated crisis response and uphold farmers’ rights.

The proposed DAFW bill introduces structural reforms that re-center farmer dignity, technical support, and agroecological transition.

It establishes Regional Agricultural Extension and Technical Support Units (RAETSU) and a National Agricultural Extension Corps (NAEC) to restore centralized, science-based extension services.

A Farmers’ Welfare Bureau (FWB) institutionalizes social protection-including insurance, pensions, and health coverage-while Farmers’ Councils at barangay to national levels embed participatory governance and budget oversight.

These reforms are not symbolic-they are systemic corrections to decades of exclusion.

Budgetary neglect compounds these structural failures. From 1985 to 2020, the DA’s share of the national budget declined from 3.57% to just 1.58%.

Even in 2020, amid food insecurity and climate shocks, agriculture received less than 2% of the national budget. In contrast, Malaysia and Thailand allocate nearly 3% or more, while Vietnam exceeds 4%. Bhutan (9.5%), India (6.9%), and Mali (7.8%) approximate the FAO-recommended 10% benchmark for agrarian economies.

South Korea, though allocating only 1.75%, compensates with high per capita spending-nearly $85-due to its smaller farming population and advanced agri-biotech investments.

Filipino farmers receive just ~$13.50 per capita-far less than their regional counterparts. Malaysia ($38.20), Thailand ($45.00), and Vietnam ($49.50) all outpace the Philippines, despite its greater vulnerability to climate shocks and land degradation.

This fiscal injustice undermines food sovereignty, climate adaptation, and rural justice.

To match Thailand’s and Vietnam’s per capita funding, the Philippines must raise its agricultural budget to ?296 billion and ?324 billion respectively-about double the 2026 proposal of ?176.7 billion.

This recalibration is not just about numbers-it is about justice. It means halting land use conversion of prime irrigated ricelands, tripling investments in irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure, expanding access to credit and insurance, and embedding parity funding in national development planning.

The DAFW also proposes a National Agroecology Transition Framework (NATF) and Agroecology Incentive Program (AIP) to shift farming systems toward climate resilience and biodiversity-based production.

Agroecology Transition Zones (ATZs) will be established in priority provinces, supported by decentralized grain silos, composting hubs, and farmer-led seed systems. These zones will serve as living laboratories for participatory research and convergence of support services from LGUs, SUCs, and civil society.

Palay farmgate prices-currently at ?8 -?13/kg-fall far below production costs of ?20-?22/kg, pushing farmers into chronic indebtedness.

The Rice Tariffication Law (RA 11203) dismantled the National Food Authority’s buffer stocking mandate, leaving farmers vulnerable to price shocks

We have proposed that RTL must be replaced also . The DAFW proposes restoring market stabilization mechanisms, including a ?100 billion annual procurement fund to buy 20% of national palay output and ?100 billion in warehouse infrastructure to anchor calibrated release and regional price floors.

These reforms are not abstract-they are rooted in constitutional mandates and SDG targets. They advance SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

They position agriculture not as a relic of the past but as a driver of inclusive recovery and intergenerational renewal and food sovereignty.

Conclusion

Feeding the nation begins with restoring dignity, equity, and institutional support for the farmers who grow our food. The current system-fragmented, underfunded, and misaligned with constitutional mandates-must be overhauled..

The proposed Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DAFW) offers a blueprint for structural reform: re-centralized extension, participatory governance, agroecological transition, and fiscal justice. These are not optional reforms-they are moral and strategic imperatives.

Recommendations

1. Establish the DAFW to centralize extension services, disaster response, and farmer protection.

2. Create RAETSU and NAEC to restore technical capacity and deploy trained personnel nationwide.

3. Institutionalize the Farmers’ Welfare Bureau (FWB) to deliver insurance, pensions, health coverage, and grievance redress.

4. Recalibrate the DA budget to ?296-?324 billion by 2026 to match regional peers and meet FAO benchmarks.

5. Launch the Agroecology Incentive Program (AIP) and designate ATZs to support climate-resilient farming and biodiversity-based production.

6. Restore market stabilization mechanisms by procuring 20% of palay output and investing in decentralized grain infrastructure.

7. Establish Farmers’ Councils at all levels to embed participatory governance and budget oversight.

8. Create a Special Fund for Agricultural Extension and Welfare (SFAEW) to ensure predictable, welfare-oriented financing.

9. Halt land use conversion of prime irrigated ricelands to protect food sovereignty and rural livelihoods.

10. Expand farmer access to credit, insurance, and digitaltools to build resilience and market inclusion.

(Teodoro ‘Ted’ C. Mendoza PhD is a retired professor and UP scientist of the Institute of Crop Sciences at the University of the Philippines Los Baños)

The 3rd to 5th floors of the Cadiz District Hospital in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, remain closed after glass windows were shattered during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the Visayas on Tuesday night.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Girlie Pinongan said on Thursday that the broken windows pose safety risks and must be repaired before patients can return.

At the height of the quake, 113 patients were evacuated to the ground floor. About half of them have since been transferred to an adjacent facility, previously used as a COVID-19 isolation building, Pinongan added.

Meanwhile, the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City sustained minor cracks but was declared structurally safe. No other provincial government-owned hospitals in Negros Occidental reported damage.

Donato Sermeno, director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the Negros Island Region, said no significant structural damage was recorded in other buildings across the region.

He added that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology expects aftershocks to persist for at least a week. So far, 2,600 aftershocks have been recorded, ranging from magnitude 1 to 5./coa

Nicole Scherzinger could not hide her amazement at Palawan’s beauty and expressed how proud she is to have Filipino blood that connects her to such a place.

The Filipino American singer took to Instagram on Thursday, Oct. 2, to share a clip in which she is seen swimming through the island’s clear turquoise waters.

‘Imagine having blood that ties you to a place this breathtaking,’ she captioned the post, tagging it with #Philippines.

In the comments section, the global singer’s celebrity friends expressed how amazed they were by Scherzinger and Palawan’s ‘combined beauty.’

‘Unwritten’ hitmaker Natasha Bedingfield commented, ‘Wow,’ while Kakai Bautista wrote, ‘The Philippines love you.’

Scherzinger, whose father is Filipino and mother is Hawaiian, has long spoken about her pride in her roots.

In past interviews, the former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman said she considers her Filipino side an important part of her identity.

Last year, Scherzinger delighted fans when she casually broke into her hit ‘Hush Hush’ at a dinner, quipping, ‘Tell me you’re a Filipino without telling me you’re a Filipino.’

The 47-year-old performer and actress first made her mark in stardom as the lead vocalist of The Pussycat Dolls, behind chart-topping singles such as ‘Don’t Cha,’ ‘Stickwitu’ and ‘Buttons.’

In June this year, Scherzinger earned critical praise for her powerhouse performance as Norma Desmond in ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ which won her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The revival also bagged Best Musical Revival.

Scherzinger previously played Penny (originally played by Cynthia Rhodes) in the 2017 remake of ‘Dirty Dancing,’ the 1987 movie that starred Jennifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has submitted four new fraud audit reports to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to aid its investigation of anomalous flood control projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This brings the COA’s total fraud audit reports to 17, nine of which were earlier submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman and four to the ICI.

The latest reports pertain to four fully paid flood control projects awarded to three contractors by the DPWH’s 1st District Engineering Office in Bulacan, which turned out to be either nonexistent or to have ‘mismatched’ locations.

Two projects by Syms Construction Trading involved flood control structures in Baliuag, worth P92.6 million, and along the Angat River in Pulilan, costing P92.7 million.

According to the COA’s field investigators, the inspection on Sept. 24 showed that there was no such structure that existed in the DPWH-approved location in Baliuag.

The first district engineering office ‘instead pinpointed’ to auditors a different location ‘but offered no explanation for the change.’

Location mismatch

‘Despite this, COA proceeded to inspect the site . where it found an existing structure that utterly failed to meet the project specifications,’ the COA said.

The auditors also noted that the district office also failed to submit a ‘significant number of critical support documents’ to the COA despite having ‘fully paid’ Syms Construction.

For the Pulilan flood control project, the COA said a separate inspection was conducted on Sept. 17.

‘While the pinpointed site and the approved project location are within the same general area, COA only saw an abandoned slope protection structure,’ the agency stressed. ‘Moreover, based on information available to COA, the structure already existed prior to the project’s start date.’

‘Again, COA underscores that this is another ghost project,’ it said.

Another company flagged by COA was Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., which was involved in the construction of a riverbank protection structure in Barangay Bagong Silang in Plaridel with a contract cost of P69.4 million.

The inspection last Sept. 15 showed that this was yet another case of a ‘mismatched project site.’

‘At the original approved project site, COA did not find any flood control structure,’ the statement added. ‘While at the pinpointed location, COA found a flood control structure which falls short of the approved specifications.’

Corruption charges

The third company is Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc., which was involved in the construction of a riverwall in Barangay Pagala in Baliuag with a contract cost of P96.4 million.

No flood control project was again seen at the approved location during the COA’s inspection last Sept. 23, according to state auditors, and at the pinpointed different location, the flood control structure ‘drastically falls short of the approved plan.’

Most of the DPWH officials tagged in the projects were district engineer Henry Alcantara; assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez; planning and design section chief Ernesto Galang; construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza; engineers Irene Otingco, Joshua Blitz Roxas, Bernardo Villafuerte, John Michael Ramos Raymond Tolentino, Lorenzo Pagtalunan, Elmer Arellano and Lemuel Ephraim Roque, and contractors Sally Santos (Syms Construction), Eumir Villanueva (Topnotch Catalyst) and Wilfredo Natividad (Triple 8), along with the latter company’s officers and board members.

‘The individuals involved may face charges for graft and corruption under Republic Act 3019 (anti-graft law), malversation and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code, as well as violations of COA Circular No. 2009-001 and the Government Procurement Reform Act,’ the COA said.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday said it would go after the people behind ‘malicious’ claims online that the fact-finding body has tapped an anti-crime nongovernment organization in its probe into the massive corruption in government contracts for public works.

In a statement on Friday, the ICI said that the reports claiming that it has sought the help of Task Force Kasanag International, supposedly led by a certain John Chong, that have been making rounds on social media are misleading, ‘entirely untrue’ and are meant to ‘undermine’ the commission.

‘The ICI has not authorized, deputized, or engaged Task Force Kasanag International, or any group led by Mr. John Chiong, in any capacity related to its investigations,’ it said, stressing the ‘impartiality and professionalism’ the ICI observes in its work.

The investigating body, led by former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes, Jr., said it would ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to find out the people responsible for the disinformation so that it could recommend the filing of appropriate criminal charges against them.

The ICI has been conducting closed-door hearings with key personalities to explain what went down in the budget process in previous years that could point to how massive funding for infrastructure, especially flood control, went to the pockets of colluding lawmakers, contractors and government officials.

On Thursday, the ICI formally called in Sen. Mark Villar to appear in the next ICI hearing on Oct. 7. ICI executive director Brian Hosaka has also said that former Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualde and resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizady Co, whose names have been dragged into the anomaly, would also be summoned to the hearings.

Maynilad Water Services Inc. is eyeing the Villar group’s troubled water utility business, potentially allowing it to expand its network beyond Metro Manila.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez confirmed they were ‘looking at’ PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp., whose customer base spans various provinces across Luzon.

He did not disclose other details.

In July, former Sen. Cynthia Villar said her husband, Manuel Villar, wanted to ‘dispose’ of PrimeWater, saying they were ‘not earning much’ from the company.

Villar-billionaire cited by Forbes magazine as the richest individual in the country-is a former senate president and House speaker.

‘Strategic’ asset

PrimeWater currently provides water utility services for more than 1.7 million households in parts of Bulacan, Batangas, Laguna, Camarines Norte, Cabanatuan City and Sorsogon City.

Under its 25-year concession agreement with the government, Maynilad, for its part, services the West Zone of the Greater Metro Manila area.

Eduardo Francisco, president of BDO Capital and Investment Corp., said investing in PrimeWater would be ‘strategic’.

‘There’s interest because they’re really a dominant player, and they’re very extensive outside Metro Manila,’ Francisco said. ‘They’re a good asset. The question that needs to be discussed is the valuation.’

Challenges

PrimeWater was recently the subject of public scrutiny due to service lapses, with customers flagging prolonged water service interruptions. Some complained about dirty or murky water despite having to pay higher rates compared with PrimeWater’s counterparts.

President Marcos also called out local water districts and their joint venture partners in his State of the Nation Address for failing to meet the needs of more than six million consumers.

He said his administration would hold accountable ‘those who neglected and fell short of delivering on this vital public service.’

This development comes as Maynilad prepares for its upcoming initial public offering (IPO), which is seen to be the last local stock market debut for the year.

Maynilad plans to raise up to P34.33 billion from its IPO.

The best way to honor teachers amid the upcoming National Teachers’ Day celebrations is to push for additional incentives and secure jobs for Filipino educators, Quezon City Representative Patrick Michael Vargas said on Friday.

Vargas, in a statement, said that lawmakers can address two problems hounding the education sector today-teachers leaving their jobs due to low pay and widespread job insecurity-by backing two measures that he filed.

The lawmaker was referring to House Bill (HB) No. 5085, the proposed Distant Public School Teachers Incentive Bill, and House Bill (HB) No. 5083, the proposed Plantilla Positions for Volunteer Teachers Bill, both of which were filed on Thursday.

HB No. 5085 seeks monthly allowances for teachers assigned in far-flung or remote schools, recognizing the hardships of travel, isolation and resource scarcity. Meanwhile, HB No. HB No. 5083 proposes the creation of permanent plantilla positions for volunteer teachers who have served at least five continuous years, provided they meet qualifications and civil service requirements.

‘Learning outcomes are a function of resources and facilities. When teaching personnel are short and employment is not just a bureaucratic concern-they affect students, communities, and the morale of our teachers,’ Vargas said.

‘When we lose over 30,000 teaching-related personnel in a year or when volunteer teachers remain on the margins despite years of service, it’s a failure of policy and gratitude,’ he added.

According to Vargas, between 2022 and 2023, the number of public school personnel dropped by around 38,000, including teachers, teaching-related, and non-teaching staff.

Similarly, the Department of Education reported that for the 2025-2026 school year, more than 150,000 teaching positions remain either unfilled or temporarily covered by volunteers and contractual hires.

Vargas asked his colleagues in the House of Representatives to support the measures as the country gears to celebrate the National Teacher’s Day on October 5, noting that such policies put teachers at the heart of education reform.

‘Our country may be faced with current anomalies, but this should not deter us from addressing perennial concerns that have stagnated the country’s growth, such as its poor learning outcomes,’ he added.

Local bank lending grew at its slowest pace in nine months in August, the first month higher American tariffs took effect, as business appetite for credit weakened, particularly among exporters squeezed by faltering global trade.

Outstanding loans from big lenders, excluding their short-term placements with the central bank, grew by 11.2 percent from a year ago to P13.62 trillion, latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

That marked the weakest expansion since November 2024, when loan growth was 11.1 percent. Month on month, lending was nearly flat, edging up just 0.4 percent.

Dissecting the BSP’s report, business loans, which accounted for 84.6 percent of large banks’ total loan book, expanded by 9.9 percent to P11.51 trillion. This was also the softest clip in nine months or since last November’s 9.8 percent.

Credit to manufacturers, the fourth-largest borrower group at nearly 9 percent of the total, shrank for a fourth consecutive month, dropping 5.5 percent after a 6.3 percent decline in July.

Tariffs take effect

Leonardo Lanzona, an economist at the Ateneo De Manila University, said Filipino exporters continued to feel the strain from global trade uncertainties-a pain that may have been felt by other business sectors, too.

Latest government data showed export receipts grew by 4.6 percent to $7.1 billion in August, the weakest pace of expansion in eight months. Notably, outbound shipments to the US-which imposed a 19 percent tariff on Filipino goods beginning Aug. 1-tumbled by 11.2 percent.

‘To some extent, the decline in the manufacturing activity affected the loans. This, in turn, resulted from the diminished level of exports, which largely dominate manufacturing,’ Lanzona said.

‘While much of the activity in the economy comes from services, even this sector is linked to manufacturing. The point is that we cannot ignore the export sector despite the fact that its value added is low as sectors are interdependent on one another,’ he added.

Households

On the consumer side, loans remained robust after growing by 23.9 percent, a tad faster than the preceding month’s 23.6 percent. This was driven by credit cards, motor vehicle loans and salary-based borrowings.

Looking ahead, retail lending could help underpin credit growth in the coming months as holiday spending picks up, said Reinielle Matt Erece, an economist at Oikonomia Advisory and Research Inc.

‘We may see a rebound in spending activity come the holiday season, and may result in faster lending activity,’ Erece said.