Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday raised serious concerns over nearly P15 billion worth of uncompleted or non-operational projects, after reviewing items under the Department of Health (DOH), including the so-called ‘haunted’ super health centers.

Gatchalian described the centers as ‘haunted’ because, despite having physical structures, they have long remained unused and unoccupied.

During the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the proposed 2025 budget of the DOH and its attached agencies, Gatchalian cited the 2024 Commission on Audit (COA) report, which revealed that 123 projects worth P11.54 billion were not completed within the contract period.

Citing DOH data, Gatchalian added that of the 1,099 super health centers scheduled for construction from 2021 to 2024, 319 projects amounting to P3 billion remain either unfinished or non-functional.

‘We will not allow haunted super health centers or unfinished projects to happen again. Everything under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program must be completed. Sayang ang pera, we’re talking about P15 billion,’ said Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.

To address the issue of incomplete and non-operational DOH projects, Gatchalian is proposing a counterpart program in which the DOH and local governments (LGUs) would share resources for the construction and operationalization of health facilities.

THE Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secured a major conviction with the decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to convict Janet Lim Napoles of money laundering in connection with the ‘pork barrel’ scam.

AMLC said RTC Branch 158 in Pasig City convicted Napoles of 13 counts of money laundering due to her orchestration of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam in 2013.

The case was initiated and prosecuted by the AMLC and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The decision marked another milestone in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.

‘This sends a strong message: those who abuse public funds will be held accountable,’ said AMLC Executive Director Atty. Matthew M. David.

‘The AMLC welcomes this court decision as a demonstration of AMLC’s relentless pursuit of individuals who exploit the financial system to conceal corruption,’ he added.

AMLC said this is the second conviction secured by the AMLC against Napoles involving the ‘pork barrel’ scam, following a 2024 decision issued by RTC Branch 24, Manila-affirming AMLC’s effectiveness in prosecuting money laundering cases linked to corruption.

In this 2025 conviction, AMLC said the Trial Court found that Napoles planned a scheme involving the creation of bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) to receive pork barrel funds for ghost projects.

By making it appear that the funds originated from legitimate sources, Napoles concealed its criminal origin-an act that fully satisfied the elements of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended.

Napoles was sentenced to 7 to 14 years of imprisonment for each count and was ordered to pay a P94.15-million fine. AMLC said, however, the judgment of conviction may be subject to appeal.

MOA between ICI, AMLC

Meanwhile, the AMLC and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for inter-agency collaboration and coordination in light of the ongoing flood project investigations.

The partnership aims to enhance information sharing and coordinated action between the AMLC and the ICI to support more effective investigations.

‘This partnership is a strong demonstration of our collective resolve to uphold integrity in public service, ensure that illicit financial activities tied to infrastructure project anomalies are thoroughly investigated, and to hold accountable those responsible,’ David said.

The MOA outlines provisions for interagency coordination, information sharing, and joint efforts to trace, preserve, and recover assets linked to unlawful activities.

The agreement also reinforces the AMLC’s mandate to investigate money laundering offenses arising from corruption, malversation, plunder, bribery, and related unlawful activities.

Established under Executive Order No. 94, Series of 2025, the ICI was created in response to public calls for greater transparency and accountability in infrastructure spending.

Composed of individuals with unquestionable integrity and expertise, the Commission is tasked to conduct an in-depth investigation into alleged irregularities and misuse of funds in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the government has yet to come up with a contingency plan in the event that a warrant of arrest is issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa and several others in relation to the crimes against humanity charges filed against them.

‘We have yet to talk about it. I don’t think they want to leave the country. We will cross the bridge when we get there,’ Remulla said.

Remulla also stressed that they have not received any information about an impending arrest warrant from the ICC.

‘There is no arrest warrant. Until we see the arrest warrant, then there is none,’ he added.

It can be recalled that former senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier disclosed that arrest warrants against De la Rosa, Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, who are known allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte, may be issued early next year.

Trillanes, who initiated the ICC complaint, made the statement after returning from The Hague where he attended along with other participants the Tenth Seminar on Cooperation from Sept 16 to 18 at the ICC.

Last March, the Philippine government handed former President Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC based on an arrest warrant issued by the ICC and implemented through the Interpol for the crime against humanity in connection with the deaths of 43 persons during his bloody anti-illegal drug war campaign.

This was despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC which took effect on March 17, 2019.

The ICC maintained that it retains jurisdiction over the said crimes which occurred while the Philippines was still a state party to the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.

The crimes covered by the arrest warrant took place between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019, according to the chamber.

The ICC chamber issued the arrest warrant against Duterte in connection with the killing of 19 alleged drug pushers or thieves by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) in various locations in Davao City during Duterte’s term as mayor of the province.

The arrest warrant also covers the killing of 24 persons believed to be drug pushers and thieves or drug users during the term of Duterte as President.

ACEN Corp. is extending a loan of P900 million to its unit to partly finance its onshore wind power project in Quezon province.

‘On October 1, 2025, ACEN executed a short-term loan agreement for P900,000,000.00 with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Giga Ace 6, Inc.,’ it said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Thursday.

Giga Ace 6 is the project company for the Quezon North Wind Power Project, formerly the Isla Wind Project, to be located in the municipalities of Mauban and Real, Quezon, and the municipalities of Paete and Kalayaan, Laguna.

ACEN did not provide further details.

Giga Ace 6 earlier secured a P34.41-billion loan to partly finance the proposed wind power project which will be done in phases. The target completion of the first phase, with an estimated capacity of 344-megawatt peak (MWp), is in late 2026. The second phase, possibly 208 megawatts, could be finished by 2028.

ACEN disclosed in October last year its investment into the Quezon North Wind Power Project Phases 1 and 2, including supporting infrastructure and transmission/connection assets.

Last March, ACEN and units signed an omnibus loan and security agreement with Bank of the Philippines Islands, BDO Unibank, Inc., and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. for P34.4 billion. The green term loan facility for Giga Ace 6 was guaranteed by its parent, ACEN, and ACEN Global Development Group. ACEN reported in August that its consolidated net income declined by 88 percent year-on-year to P763 million mainly due to a P2.7-billion impairment relating to the relating to the Lac Hoa and Hoa Dong wind farms in Vietnam.

Excluding this one-off booking and the P1.35-billion valuation gain in 2024, net income fell 24 percent over the same period, due to depressed Wholesale Electricity Spot Market prices and increased depreciation effects.

‘Despite these headwinds, attributable renewables output grew 9 percent year-on-year to 3,228 GWh [gigawatt hours], driven by new contributions from international plants.’

TIM CONE will be working with a pool of 16 players-instead of 12-for the 2027 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asian Qualifiers that start this November.

‘The [16-member] pool gives Coach Tim [Cone] a buffer for any.but hopefully not injuries to our players,’ Samahand Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al S. Panlilio said on Thursday.

Three players-who Panlilio and Cone called ‘logical adds’-are RJ Abarrientos, 6-foot-11 Ange Kouame and Quentin Millora-Brown with Kai Sotto being the pool’s 16th member but is still recovering from his injury.

Abarrientos, according to Panlilio who’s known by his alias ASP, is not a surprise addition because he’s been practicing with Gilas and is Cone’s point guard at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Millora-Brown, or QMB, Panlilio said, is also a welcome addition to the pool, while Kouame is an able backup to Justin Brownlee as a naturalized player.

‘We know that the Asian qualifiers are a tough competition,’ Panlilio said.

‘QMB’s a no-brainer, of course. And RJ and Kouame have been practicing with us since the last window. So, they are all ‘logical adds,” Cone said.

There are four groups in the Asian Qualifiers-the Philippines is with Guam, Australia and New Zealand in Pool A-and the top three will be advancing further in the event.

With Brownlee in the pool are AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Kevin Quiambao, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo.

Millora-Brown is a 6-foot-10 former University of the Philippines big man who’s playing for the Macau Black Bears in the East Asia Super League.

Kouame was in Cone’s team that won the gold medal in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games two years ago.

Gilas travels to Guam on November 28 and will host the same team on December 1 and plays at home against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1.

THE first batch of the 141-athlete Team Philippines will fly to Manama on October 17 five days ahead of the opening ceremony of the second Asian Youth Games (AYG), according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino on Thursday.

The mission, Tolentino said, is to match or surpass the two gold medals Pauline Lopez (taekwondo) and Mia Legaspi (golf) won in the last edition in Nanjing, China, in 2013.

‘We have strong chances at the gold medals in the combat sports, but we’re not discounting production in other fronts,’ said Tolentino, adding that the AYG is the second largest multi-sport competition in the continent after the Asian Games.

The Filipino athletes are competing in 19 of the 26 sports programmed by host Bahrain for the AYG, which started in 2009 in Singapore but were shelved twice in 2017 and 2021 because of the pandemic.

Jiu-jitsu has the most number of athletes with 17, followed by taekwondo with 16 and wrestling with 13 in the AYG where Bahrain included its domestic sport of camel racing as well as beach wrestling.

The Philippines is also competing in wolleyball (12), teqball (6), golf (6), triathlon (2), MMA (5), muay (12), athletics (8), boxing (6), cycling (6), weightlifting (6), table tennis (6), badminton (8), beach wrestling (3), aquatics (3), kurash (4) and pencak silat (2).

Tolentino said that in the last AYG meeting in Manama, the hosts announced that 4,250 athletes are competing and will be joined by 900 team and technical officials and 700 coaches.

In organizing the games, the hosts listed a 1,200 work force and 300 volunteers as they aim to surpass expectations.

The second batch of athletes, coaches and team officials are flying on October 20.

China dominated the Nanjing games by winning 71 of the 231 gold medals with Thailand emerging as the best Southeast Asian country with 17 golds, followed by Singapore with 14 and Vietnam five.

A LAWMAKER has called on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s public infrastructure to ensure it can withstand natural disasters following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the coast of northern Cebu on Tuesday night.

Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez stressed the need to address the public’s ‘growing fear and distrust’ of government-built facilities, which he said are increasingly revealed as substandard, posing threats to life and safety during calamities.

‘Even as we have yet to assess the full extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake, it is also urgent that the government conduct a thorough review of the disaster-worthiness of all public infrastructure,’ said Benitez.

‘First expose the shoddy work, punish those guilty for it, then take the necessary steps to ensure that no public building, road, or bridge will contribute to loss of life, injury, and damage to property,’ added Benitez.

Meanwhile,Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal of Bagong Henerasyon called on Congress to include post-earthquake rehabilitation funds in next year’s budget.

‘I will make sure the 2026 budget includes specific funds for post-earthquake rehabilitation for the towns and barangays hit hardest,’ Nazal said.

He said of the role of government agencies in ensuring safety: ‘We will remind the Department of Human Settlements, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government that they must prioritize public safety through properly built houses and infrastructure.’

Meanwhile, Benitez, who serves as lead convenor of the Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, expressed solidarity with those affected by the calamity and assured that aid would be provided.

‘I wish to express my solidarity with the people of Cebu who have been impacted by the recent earthquake,’ he said. ‘Cebuanos can rest assured that their brethren in Bacolod and across the Visayan Bloc are ready to extend assistance to help them recover as quickly as possible.’

The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that the earthquake has so far claimed 72 lives, with more than 250 injured.

Biyaheros, get ready for an earlier Sunday adventure!

Beginning on September 28, popular travel show Biyahe ni Drew can now be seen on a new timeslot, promising more thrilling and captivating adventures that viewers should not miss. Hosted by award-winning host and ‘ultimate biyahero’ Drew Arellano, the program airs every Sunday at 6:10 pm on GTV.

Last week, Biyahe ni Drew kicked off its new schedule with an adventure to the breathtaking province of Sarangani, known for its stunning landscapes and rich culture. Drew was joined by Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre’s Ashley Rivera.

The pair took on the exhilarating challenge of white-water tubing on the Pangi River, recognized as one of the cleanest rivers in Mindanao. Known for his adventurous spirit, Drew put his skills to the test, with Ashley right there with him ready for the action.

The friendly rivalry continued in the kitchen as Drew and Ashley faced off in a cooking showdown. Using vannamei shrimp, they competed to see who could whip up the most delicious dish. They also tried tinagtag, a local delicacy prepared using a unique cooking method.

Biyahe ni Drew airs Sundays at 6:10 pm on GTV. Global Pinoys can also tune in via the GMA International channel, GMA Life TV.

A GRAND party kicks off a season-long celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

The league gets the ball rolling at the Green Gate of the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday where it will hold a four-hour Fans Day in honor of what the PBA calls its lifeblood.

Players will be interacting with the different fans club in a meet-and-greet event that also features performances by some of the country’s top bands.

Various PBA merchandises are also on sale in the venue.

From the Big Dome, the festivity then shifts to Ortigas Center later in the night when the league hosts a first ever fellowship that traces the 50-year history of Asia’s pioneering pro league.

Former and current players have been invited in the celebration at the Meralco Theater along with officials, managers, team staff, members of the press and PBA employees-all past and present.

Entertainment will be provided by Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano and a host of others as they serenade the guests with songs from 1975 onwards-representing five decades of the PBA’s existence.

Members of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players and Hall of Famers will also be recognized during the program, according to Commissioner Willie Marcial.

‘We’re inviting all of you to the PBA 50th year reunion where we will honor everyone who’s been involved in the league for the past 50 years,’ said Marcial as he urged everyone to extend the invitation in behalf of the league.

The celebration continues Sunday when the league holds the annual Leo Awards at the Novotel Manila, to be followed later in the day by the ushering of Season 50 at the Big Dome, and capped by the lone opening game between long-time rivals Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia.

Marcial said more former players are expected to attend the Sunday gathering.

With over 19,000 learners affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struct northern Cebu, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara assured parents and teachers that education will continue as immediate emergency measures are being addressed.

Angara stressed that the Department of Education (DepEd) will rely primarily on modular learning, the most practical mode for communities with damaged classrooms or limited connectivity.

Policies on lesson packets and the Dynamic Learning Program are also set to be finalized next week, with emergency funds for learning materials to be released right after, the DepEd said.

The DepEd Learning Systems Strand (LSS) is also coordinating with Schools Division Superintendents for context-specific interventions once immediate emergency measures are addressed.

To minimize lost school days, estimated at about one month in the hardest-hit areas, DepEd will also establish Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) in Bogo and nearby Cebu towns to prioritize early grade learners and resume limited face-to-face classes sooner.

‘Bayanihan ang susi. Dapat mabilis ang aksyon ng lahat para mas mabilis din makakabalik ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral sa normal na klase,’ Angara said.

On Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Angara, and other national government officials on visited Bogo, Cebu to provide immediate assistance and assess the impact of the earthquake that damaged thousands of classrooms and communities.

Marcos led the situation briefing together with Angara and other Cabinet Secretaries, including Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Public Works Vince Dizon, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. They also assessed the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy, one of the hardest-hit campuses, where at least three buildings were not declared safe for occupancy.

Damaged classrooms

As of 11 p.m. on October 1, the DepEd reported 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage, 803 major damage, and 1,187 were totally destroyed in Cebu schools. There were 950 teaching and non-teaching personnel affected.

‘Sa gitna ng trahedya, kailangan mas maagap tayong tumulong para hind rin maputol ang pag-aaral ng ating mga mag-aaral. Habang inaayos ang mga paaralan, agad tayong maghahatid ng alternatibong paraan upang may gabay, pag-asa, at direksyon silang mahahawakan,’ Angara said.

Subject to further validation by field offices, a vetted list will then be endorsed for joint DepEd-Depatment of Public Works and Highways validation to determine costs.

The department noted that reconstruction funds will be downloaded immediately.

Recovery kit

The DepEd chief also distributed nearly 90 EduKahon teaching and learning recovery kit.

DepEd also said that those in affected areas declared under a state of calamity may avail of Special Emergency Leave under CSC rules.

The DepEd added that unaffected regions are mobilizing resources to extend support, including financial aid, to affected teachers.