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THE cut in interest rates by the central bank failed to cushion the fall in last week’s share prices, seen continued to be weighed down by alleged state officials’ corruption and a weak peso.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index fell 71.07 points to close at 6,037.79 points.

‘The local market remains bearishly biased as seen on its direction and value turnover. Trading remains tepid, implying weak investor confidence,’ Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, senior research analyst at Philstocks Financials Inc., said.

The main index was marked by a sharp fall on Monday, followed by gains on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the index dropped during the rest of the week despite monetary authorities’ decision to cut rates, which surprised many investors and analysts.

‘As of last week’s closing, the local market remains undervalued with a P/E (price to earnings) ratio of 10.1 times. This is below its five-year historical average of 17.3 times and the regional average of 18.6 times. As of the moment, the PSEi still has the lowest PE ratio among peers,’ Tantiangco said.

All other sub-indices ended mixed. The broader All Shares index declined 27.41 points to close at 3,658.44 points, the Financials index fell 61.44 to 2,021.75, the Industrial index gained 20.13 to 9,036.52, the Holding Firms index retreated 117.84 to 4,850.95, the Property index was down 22.18 to 2,272.41, the Services index rose 14.05 to 2,284.31 and the Mining and Oil index soared 1,053.14 to close at 14,312.36.

For the week, gainers edged losers 121 to 112 and 28 shares were unchanged.

The top gainers were PXP Energy Corp., Anglo Philippine Holdings Corp., Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., Coal Asia Holdings Inc., Liberty Flour Mills Inc., Citystate Savings Bank Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.

The top losers, meanwhile, were Roxas and Co. Inc., F and J Prince Holdings Corp. A, Transpacific Broadband Group Int’l. Inc., Pacifica Holdings Inc., Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., Lodestar Investment Holdings Corp. and VistaREIT Inc.

This week

SHARE prices are expected to move downward; but some investors may opt to hunt for bargains.

‘Bearish sentiment is expected to linger fueled by concerns over the Philippines’ corruption issues and its impact on our economic growth outlook. Investors are also expected to monitor the movement of the local currency against the US dollar,’ Tantiangco said.

A further depreciation for the peso is expected to drag the local bourse.

In addition, revived global economic worries as the US imposes new tariffs against China are expected to aggravate market pessimism, he said.

Broker 2TradeAsia said there is a shift in regional risk premium.

‘And while the domestic story should still hold overall, near-term alpha at home might remain limited to thematic such as gold mining, income/cash flow like real estate investment trusts and tertiary plays,’ it said.

‘Plays in the near-term are likely bound to selectives to capture defensive yields amid flow rotations, especially while clarity on the Fed’s next move is still translucent,’ it said.

A major resistance for the main index is seen at 6,150 points followed by the 50-day exponential moving average. Currently, the market is testing its 10-day exponential moving average. Major support is seen at 6,000 points, Tantiangco said.

Stock picks

BROKER Regina Capital Development Corp. gave a buy when support holds on the stock of lender BDO Unibank Inc. (PSE: BDO).

‘BDO dropped by 2.57 percent, extending its recent downtrend as it failed to hold above the 50-day MA at 139.56. Price remains below the 100-day and 200-day MAs, reflecting continued bearish market sentiment,’ it said.

‘Unless support around 135.00 holds, further downside movement could develop in the short term,’ the broker said.

BDO shares closed last week at P134.80 apiece.

Meanwhile, the broker advised to buy at pullbacks on the stock of Areit Inc. after its share price surged by 7.49 percent, marking a strong breakout from its recent consolidation phase.

‘The price now trades well above the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day MAs at 43.59, 42.09 and 40.71, respectively, reinforcing a bullish bias with momentum regaining strength,’ the broker said.

With price breaking key resistance, continuation toward the P46 zone is likely if support at P43.50 holds, it said.

Areit shares closed last Friday at P42.75 apiece.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the P3-billion preferred shares offering of Megawide Construction Corp.

In its en banc meeting, the SEC approved the registration statement of Megawide covering up to 20 million preferred shares, with an oversubscription option of up to 10 million shares, subject to the company’s compliance with certain remaining requirements.

The preferred shares, which are cumulative, non-voting, non-participating, non-convertible, redeemable and perpetual, will be offered to the public at a price of up to P100 apiece.

The listed company is expected to net up to P2.97 billion from the offer, assuming the overallotment option is fully exercised. Proceeds will be used for debt refinancing, partial financing of projects in the pipeline and general corporate purposes.

The offer period will run from October 30 to November 10, in time for listing at the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange on November 19, according to the latest timetable submitted to the SEC.

Megawide tapped PNB Capital and Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and Security Bank Capital Investment Corp. to serve as the joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners for the offer. Megawide said its income for the first half of the year fell to P436.41 million from the previous year’s P437.58 million on weaker second-quarter performance.

Consolidated revenues for the period fell 23 percent to P8.77 billion from the previous year’s P11.49 billion, as projects under construction enter the tail-end of the life cycle.

‘Based on our performance in the first six months of the year, we are on track to outpace our net income from the previous year. This is also partly driven by the increasing contribution from our real estate business, which is steadily emerging as a new growth driver. Other business segments are expected to complement our consolidated overall performance as we replenish our order book for EPC and precast and construction solutions from both external and internal clients,’ Megawide Chairman and CEO Edgar B. Saavedra said.

For the second quarter alone, its income fell much deeper to P227.19 million, down by 10 percent from the previous year’s P254.16 billion, while revenues fell 28 percent to P4.45 billion from the previous P6.21 billion.

In terms of segment, construction operations contributed P7.3 billion for the first half of the year and accounted for 85 percent of total consolidated revenues. The performance was traced to the winding down phase for a number of ongoing projects, which generally churn in lower revenues based on the S-Curve but deliver higher margins.

Revenue from real estate operations amounted to P1.1 billion, more than 3 times from last year, due to ongoing projects, such as ‘My Enso Lofts,’ ‘The Hive,’ ‘Northscapes,’ ‘Modan Lofts,’ ‘One Lancaster Park’ and ‘Lykke Condo’ with healthy sales for the first half at P1.7 billion, which is 64-percent higher year on year. This brought unbooked revenues to a healthy level of P8.8 billion.

BAD loans incurred by banks grew 5.06 percent in the period ending July, according to the latest data on non-performing loans (NPLs) released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The data showed that gross NPLs reached P453.24 billion in January to July, higher than the P431.23 billion posted in the same period last year.

‘Gross NPL represents the actual level of NPL without any adjustment for loans treated as ‘loss’ and fully provisioned,’ the BSP explained.

The bulk of these bad loans were held by universal banks (UBs) with P295.98 billion, a 7.65-percent increase from the P274.94 billion posted in the same period last year.

State-owned banks followed, posting P140.05 billion in bad loans as of July 2025. However, this was a 4.07-percent contraction from the P145.99 billion posted as of July 2024.

Government banks include the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines, according to the BSP.

Commercial banks followed with NPLs reaching P10.11 billion as of July this year. This was also a contraction of 13.12 percent compared to the P11.63 billion as of July 2024.

While foreign institutions recorded the lowest amount of NPLs as of July at P7.1 billion, this was a 19.05-percent growth from the P5.96 billion recorded as of July last year.

Foreign institutions consisted of foreign banks, excluding foreign banks’ subsidiaries, according to the BSP.

Meanwhile, net NPLs of banks posted flat growth of 0.26 percent to P192.59 billion as of July 2025 from the P192.1 billion posted in the same period last year.

‘As a complementary measure in the computation of gross NPL, banks are required to compute their net NPLs, which shall refer to gross NPLs less specific allowance for credit losses on the total loan portfolio, provided, that such specific allowance for credit losses on the total loan portfolio shall not be deducted from the total loan portfolio,’ BSP said.

The bulk of these net NPLs were from UBs, which grew 12.28 percent to P125.42 billion as of July 2025 from the P111.7 billion recorded as of July 2024.

This was followed by government banks which saw its net NPLs contract 14.45 percent to P61.79 billion in the seven-month period this year from P72.23 billion posted in the same period last year.

The largest decline in net NPLs were recorded by commercial banks at 28.75 percent. This placed the net NPLs of these banks to P3.4 billion as of July 2025 from P4.77 billion as of July 2024.

Foreign banks, meanwhile, posted a growth of 7.45 percent, which brought its net NPLs to P1.98 billion as of July this year from P1.84 billion as of July last year.

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) was allowed by the regulators to complete the 138-kiloVolt (kv) Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay transmission line project in August next year.

The P5.48-billion project is meant to reinforce the grid and upgrade existing facilities to support the growing power requirements of Boracay.

In a 12-page order, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) granted NGCP’s motion to extend the estimated time completion of the transmission project to August 31, 2026, ‘taking into account both the technical realities on the ground and the legal obligations of NGCP under its franchise and the regulatory framework governing transmission projects.’

The NGCP was earlier directed by the commission to complete the project not later than May 31, 2025, six months after the directive was issued. The grid operator filed a motion last July to reverse the ERC ruling for lack of basis. It also asked to exempt it from paying the permit fees.

The commission said that the adjustment of timeline is ‘justified’ as its completion is necessarily subject to unforeseen factors such as site workability, right-of-way acquisition, procurement processes, and other construction challenges.

‘After due deliberation, through evaluation of all the evidence gathered, and appreciation of all the information gathered, the Commission, pursuant to its regulatory powers, hereby resolves to grant NGCP’s motion to adjust the project’s estimated time of completion to August 2026,’ the ERC said.

However, any further delay shall be subject to stricter regulatory scrutiny and possible penalties, it added.

The ERC denied NGCP’s request to exempt it from payment of permit fees worth P31,781,408.30. The said fee is in relation to the project and is collected by the ERC. The commission said it was ‘not convinced’ when the NGCP argued that its franchise exempted it from the payment of permit fees.

‘Tax exemptions are strictly construed against the taxpayer. For an exemption to be conferred, it must be clearly and distinctly stated in the language of law. The burden rests upon the party claiming the exemption to prove that it is in fact covered by the exemption so claimed which NGCP failed to do so,’ the ERC said adding that the tax provision outlines the taxes that NGCP is liable for or exempt from.

‘What was granted to NGCP was a franchise tax in lieu of all other taxes that maybe imposed on NGCP,’ the regulator said.

The NGCP was also directed to assume full responsibility for the operation, maintenance, and management of the reclassified assets-Avon-Caticlan 69kV line, the Caticlan Cable Terminal Stations, and the Caticlan-Boracay 69kV submarine cable.

The ERC decision was promulgated last October 8.

Valentin Vacherot beat his cousin Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters for the first title of his career after a stunning run from the qualifying rounds.

The 204th-ranked Vacherot, an unheralded 26-year-old, was the lowest-ranked tournament winner in ATP Masters 1000 history – and the first from the tiny Principality of Monaco.

‘Just crying, it’s just isn’t real what just happened. I’ve no idea what’s happening right now,’ Vacherot said moments after victory. ‘I think there are two winners today and just one family that won. I think for the sport of tennis this story’s just unreal.’

It was quite a performance, too.

He stunned 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals to set up a final against the 30-year-old Rinderknech, who had downed four-time major finalist Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, in a remarkable semifinal of his own.

Before toppling Djokovic – owner of 100 career titles and among the greatest men’s players ever – Vacherot also beat tenth-seeded Holger Rune in the quarterfinals.

‘It’s only my fourth season on the tour. I think of all the work I’ve done,’ Vacherot said. ‘To win today is completely crazy, I just can’t believe it.’

He produced a serving masterclass in the third set, with three straight love holds and 15 consecutive points before finally losing a point in the eighth game with an unforced error.

Serving to stay in the match at 15-40 down, Rinderknech saved one match point but Vacherot wrong-footed him with yet another blistering forehand winner down the line to clinch victory.

He held his face in his hands in disbelief before walking to the net to hug his cousin and then rushing to his team box to share a long hug with coach Benjamin Balleret, who is his half-brother and is a former tennis player from Monaco.

Balleret’s career highlight was a defeat to tennis great Roger Federer in the early rounds of the Monte Carlo Masters in 2006.

Nineteen years later, Federer was in the Shanghai crowd watching as Rinderknech clinched the first set with an ace.

Balleret and Federer shook hands before Vacherot grabbed a red-and-white Monaco flag and displayed it on court. Then he wrote ‘Grandma and Grandpa would be proud’ on a courtside camera.

‘I tried to put it to one side that it’s my cousin, the guy that I’ve been growing up with,’ Vacherot said. ‘In the first set I didn’t bring my ‘A’ game and Arthur was playing better than me.’

Monaco’s biggest sporting star is Fomula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, who has won eight races among his 48 podiums.

Vacherot will shoot up the rankings and inside the Top 50 on Monday.

He secured an early break in the decider and then missed four break-point chances in the fifth game as Rinderknech got a reprieve. The Frenchman immediately took a three-minute medical timeout for massage treatment on his back and then his left shoulder.

But there was nothing he could do to stop his cousin’s momentum.

Rinderknech appeared troubled by heavy cramps and – after giving his runner-up speech – had to sit down as his cousin addressed the crowd.

They never played each other before on the professional tour, with Rinderknech winning their only meeting at a Futures tournament in 2018.

COAST Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) vessels were harassed anew with illegal maneuvers and water cannon attacks by ships from the Chinese Coast Guard backed by its maritime forces while the Philippine ships were going about their lawful mandate at the territorial waters of Pagasa Island on Sunday.

‘This morning [Sunday] while three Bfar vessels, including the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, were safely anchored in the territorial waters of Pag-asa Island to provide protection for Filipino fishermen as part of the ‘Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda’ [KBBM], they faced dangerous and provocative maneuvers from the China Coast Guard [CCG] and Chinese maritime militia vessels. Around 8:15 a.m., the Chinese maritime forces approached dangerously close, activating their water cannons as a clear threat against the Bfar vessels,’ it added.

The PCG said the situation escalated at approximately 9:15 a.m. when a CCG vessel with bow number 21559 fired its water cannon directly at BRP Datu Pagbuaya, hitting the vessel.

‘Around three minutes later, at 9:18 a.m., the same CCG vessel deliberately rammed the stern of BRP Datu Pagbuaya, causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew,’ PCG added.

Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions, the PCG said that it remains resolute along with its counterparts from Bfar.

‘We will not be intimidated or driven away, as our presence in the Kalayaan Island Group is crucial for protecting the rights and livelihoods of Filipino fishermen,’ it added.

The PCG commandant, Vice Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, echoed this determination, saying, ‘the harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve. Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters, and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power.’

RP, US, Canada ships in joint maneuvers

PHILIPPINE, United States and Canadian warships conducted complex naval maneuvers under Exercise Samasama (Together) 2025, showcasing strengthened defense cooperation and seamless interoperability in regional waters.

Naval forces -Task Group NTG44.1, composed of BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16), BRP Valentin Diaz (PS117), BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG902), USS Cincinnati (LCS20), HMCS Max Bernays (AOPV432), and air assets NH441 and NH43, executed on Saturday a full range of high-intensity tactical operations within the Western Naval Command (WNC) area of responsibility, including Palawan and Kalayaan islands.

The drills included replenishment at sea approaches, photo exercise, air defense exercise, combined anti-submarine exercise, publication exercise and screen exercise, all aimed at reinforcing coordination and enhancing readiness in joint maritime defense scenarios.

WNC said the successful conduct of the exercises reaffirmed the command’s role as a strategic hub for regional maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.

Exercise Samasama, an annual multilateral training with the United States and partner nations, serves as a platform for enhancing collective defense capabilities amid growing security challenges in regional waters.

World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, arrives this year with the theme ‘Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Disasters’-a timely call, as the Philippines continues to cope with regional crises following recent calamities such as flooding and earthquakes. It’s a reminder that caring for mental well-being is now just as essential as meeting business targets or project deadlines.

But despite the growing recognition of mental health in the workplace, recent events following the earthquake in Bogo, Cebu, reveal the need for more compassionate policies. Several BPO companies reportedly reprimanded employees who chose to stop working after the quake due to safety concerns, with some workers facing administrative sanctions, loss of benefits, or even notices-to-explain when they prioritized their well-being and their families’ over immediate job tasks.

Complaints have surfaced that staff were ordered to return to work while aftershocks continued, and in certain cases, those who evacuated were called back before thorough safety inspections were completed. These incidents have sparked a broader call for change, urging businesses to value psychological safety and disaster response protocols as much as business continuity-especially in times of crisis.

There is still, however, a quiet shift that is occurring in many small businesses and large corporations: mental health is no longer an optional concern but a pillar of workplace resiliency and productivity.

Inspired by the annual global advocacy, more Filipino companies are now dedicating time and resources to implement workplace wellness events, from mindfulness breaks to wellness fairs. These initiatives respond not only to the stress from unpredictable events but also to day-to-day pressures that affect focus, morale, and team dynamics.

Among the most effective additions to corporate wellness programs are mindful practices like tai chi and qigong. These gentle, movement-based disciplines blend breathing, mental focus, and slow, deliberate motion to help reduce stress, quiet racing thoughts, and support overall well-being. Employees often report less anxiety, improved clarity, and greater resilience after participating, echoing findings from research across Asia and beyond.

Yet there’s so much more that companies can do. Many workplaces now offer group yoga sessions-suitable for all fitness levels-that help loosen muscles, calm nerves, and enhance flexibility. Guided mindfulness and meditation workshops teach employees strategies for self-soothing and focus, while dance or Zumba classes offer a joyful, energizing way to break up the workday.

Forward-thinking HR teams have also experimented with:

Quiet hours or designated break rooms for reflection, coloring, or enjoying soothing herbal teas.

‘Walk and Talk’ sessions, encouraging meetings on foot for natural stress relief

Trivia games and educational seminars to break stigma and promote mental health literacy.

Wellness challenges based on steps taken, healthy eating, or hydration.

Acts of kindness days, journaling workshops, and peer support circles.

Some organizations even bring in wellness therapists for on-site massages, host awareness talks with psychologists, or offer training so managers and staff know how to spot and respond to emotional distress among colleagues.

Incorporating these varied approaches makes mental health support accessible and engaging for all, helping to build resilience not just for individuals but for the organization as a whole.

This World Mental Health Day, Philippine business leaders can set a powerful example. By making space for wellness activities and inviting partners like the Peace Blossoms Internal Arts Society (09178456856) to lead qigong, tai chi, or wellness sessions, companies can nurture a culture where success and psychological health go hand in hand. For organizations hoping to create a mentally stronger, more harmonious workplace, now is the time to act-and to show that investing in people’s inner well-being is a winning strategy for everyone.

And going back to the events in Bogo, there is a pressing need for clear, compassionate disaster response policies across all sectors. Companies must ensure that no employee is penalized for prioritizing their own safety or that of their family during emergencies, and robust protocols must be in place to provide support-psychologically and logistically-before requiring anyone to return to work. Formal guidance from labor authorities, ongoing mental health education for management, and stronger industry accountability are essential steps to prevent similar incidents.

Ultimately, the lesson from Bogo is clear: true workplace wellness is measured not only by the programs on offer, but by how organizations respond, lead with empathy, and uphold dignity when their people need it most.

As Hongqi continues to dazzle the Philippine automobile market, the luxury marque remains committed to the highest standards of vehicle safety, with its newest flagship electric models – the E-H7 and E-HS7 – scoring 5-Star Ratings in the Euro NCAP standardized safety test. These models add to Hongqi’s already stellar record for safety, with the E-HS9 also having previously received a 5-Star Rating from the Euro NCAP.

For the models to secure the 5-Star Rating, sample vehicles must undergo and pass several extreme testing challenges. To name a few, vehicles are subjected to a water submersion test to determine how well they can resist flood damage as well as leakages, smoke, explosion, and fire tests, which were all passed without dire incident. The testing regime included simulated front and rear collisions at speeds of up to 100 km/h, followed by dedicated side-impact assessments, which were once again hurdled with no significant deformation of the car’s pillars and with airbags deploying as designed.

Finally, a compression test to simulate a massive object falling onto the vehicle, equivalent to nearly 7.8 tons on the panoramic glass roof, is performed. This final test left minimal deformation, leaving ample survival space for occupants.

Through the 5-star rating achieved during rigorous Euro NCAP testing, Hongqi proves its commitment to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping its passengers not only stylish and comfortable, but safe and protected.

‘As faithful Hongqi owners know, the moment you step into a Hongqi vehicle, you immediately enter a world of luxury both inside and out. But feeling comfortable and looking great on the road mean nothing when a vehicle isn’t safe,’ says Rashid Delgado, Hongqi PH and EVOxTerra President and TDG Co-CEO. ‘That’s why our ultimate priority has always been the protection of all passengers, drivers, and even pedestrians, whenever someone takes the wheel of an E-H7 or E-HS7.’

The 5-star Euro NCAP rating attributed to Hongqi’s flagship models attests to designs and build quality that address the most common causes of road accidents, along with floods, dangerous road conditions, and unfortunate collisions.

On top of paramount safety considerations, the Hongqi E-HS7 and E-H7 feature stunning visuals and incredible performance. The E-H7 sedan, starting at P2,280,000, provides an incredible single-charge driving range of 650 km; while the EHS7, starting at P2,580,000, offers a single-charge driving range of 540 km. Car enthusiasts interested in test-driving the models are encouraged to visit Hongqi’s physical showrooms in BGC, Alabang, Manila Bay, and Quezon City. You may also visit Hongqi’s official website at www.hongqi.ph, or to follow Hongqi Philippines on Facebook (hongqi.philippines) and Instagram (@hongqi_ph) for more updates and information

IN the change framework prescribed by Dr. John Kotter, I earlier wrote in Part One that the Officer Candidate School (OCS) has successfully established the sense of urgency (step 1) and built a guiding coalition (step 2). In reforming the OCC training, Commandant Harold Cabunoc (Harold) recognized the scarcity of competent faculty since the basic training heavily relied on a handful of competent Tactical Officers, Drill Masters and Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) instructors in 2022. To address this scarcity, Harold called for ‘fire support’ from Headquarters Philippine Army (HPA) to assign to OCS ‘carefully selected personnel with unblemished records and strong field performance.’

With an ad interim Instructor’s Company assigning more trainers to the OCS, Harold also conducted a two-week capacity-building program for both officer and enlisted personnel instructors. I believe this was how he built that Guiding Coalition termed by Kotter in step 2. He sought the support of others knowing that he cannot change a long standing tradition in the Army by himself.

Following the subsequent steps in Kotter’s formula, this small group, handpicked and trained by Cabunoc, eventually formed a strategic vision, which can be summed up as ‘Dumbguard No More!’ (step 3). He communicated such vision relatively well (step 4) to the point that when Harold personally explained to me such Dumbguard No More vision, I was extremely impressed and awed by his change initiative.

We should have more leaders like Harold. As I observed the OCS classes of 63-2025 and 64-2025, plus the fact that the OCS has successfully produced an entire class without this Dumbguard mentality program, I think Cabunoc is on the verge of empowering a broad-based action (step 5).

But before reaching step 8, which is the Culture Change, Kotter posited that generating short-term wins (steps 6) and consolidating gains (step 7) are necessary. In enduring these final few steps, resistance to change will surely impede the progress towards the vision, as per Kotter.

Harold observed that a few cases of maltreatment and sexual misconduct were often perpetrated by trainers and senior Officer Candidates due to a distorted interpretation of the Honor Code. In his observation, those who reported these kinds of abuses were often labeled as ‘squealers’ and ostracized as weaklings or ‘traitors.’ To counter this internal roadblock, Harold’s Guiding Coalition strengthened the feedback system by implementing a ‘Magic Box’ and a ‘QR code Survey,’ both non-attributable feedback mechanisms.

Resistance from OCS alumni also served as a challenge to ‘Dumbguard No More’ vision since several OCS graduates expressed opposition to what they perceived as the ‘softening’ of OCS graduates. To address this external pressure, Harold and his team actively engaged the OCS Alumni Association Inc. (OCSAAI) and its alumni sub-groups to articulate the necessity of these reforms. In Harold’s own words, ‘we explained the rationale behind the new training approach, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary settings, particularly considering the Gen Z audience and the evolving character of warfare where mission command is more appropriate than traditional command and control.’

In the Army, warrior-leaders are desired, but servant leaders can be just as effective. Most organizations will have this ‘command and control’ concept as warrior-leaders are inherently leading first before obeying.

As Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla makes sweeping reforms in his new office, I hope and pray that he can lead the agency and have a legacy approach wherein he will serve God, country, and people (in that order) instead of protecting the personal interests of certain political families as his predecessor did. Making the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of public officials as accessible is one major step that Ombudsman Remulla wants to initiate, a change towards greater transparency that can lead to accountability of public servants.

Reforming or transforming can be one of the most challenging chapters in a person’s leadership journey. After all, leaders are not created overnight. As they mature in position and responsibility, leaders like Cabunoc and Remulla ought to develop that legacy approach wherein they embrace how Jesus Christ modeled servant leadership-‘It is not about me, but it is all up to me.’

The biblical story of Joshua shows that leadership is never about position and titles, but about surrender and trust in God’s process, which is captured in four challenging steps-obedience, faith, courage, and consecration. In one of his sermons, Pastor Peter Tan-Chi of CCF shared that before Joshua led, he first learned to follow (Exodus 17:9-13; Numbers 11:28).

Soon after birth, all of us can all become good leaders by following first-‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.’ (Ephesians 6:1). Leadership begins at home whenever we, as children, submit to authority and choose to obey our parents trusting that every act of obedience serves as a preparatory step for greater responsibility. When it comes to faith, Joshua believed (Numbers 13-14), while others doubted in God’s plan of taking the people to the land filled with milk and honey.

Similarly, Harold believed in pursuing the reforms in OCS, despite the abundance of doubters in the Army. As provided in the Bible, ‘For we live by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Corinthians 5:7). I know that leaders who are in the same stage as Harold trust God enough to understand that provision and protection comes from above, in every step of any reform initiative. Courage entails moving forward despite fear.

One of my favorite leadership verses is found in Joshua 1:9 when it said-‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

All leaders will have fear of failure whenever they start to initiate changes. Yet, whenever they choose to act in faith and do what is right, they will have the courage knowing that God’s power is with them. Consecration is the hardest part in these four step process. According to Pastor Peter, ‘to be consecrated is to be set apart for God’ in keeping to what the Bible tells us in Joshua 3:5 -‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’

Positive results can emerge despite the odds against success whenever leaders commit their plans to the Lord. Such commitment is both found in the Law of the Lord (‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end-even the wicked for a day of disaster.’-Proverbs 16:3-4) and in Law of the Land (‘We, the Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God.’-Preamble of the 1987 Constitution).

May our leaders, Harold Cabunoc in the OCS, Jesus Remulla in the Ombudsman, and even President Bongbong Marcos, discover that leadership is not about them, but it is all up to them.

Among the countries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is the only country implementing ‘subpar standards’ for steel products, according to Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI).

‘We have to raise the standards for steel. Hindi na puwede iyong puwede na,’ PISI President Ronald C. Magsajo told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc. (FPI) Business Summit 2025 last week.

‘Let’s raise the standard, make sure that our products are meant for the zone-Pacific Ring of Fire, earthquake-resistant ‘yung ginagamit natin because not all our standards today are pang-earthquake. We still have low standards,’ he added.

For steel, he said the country is still implementing minimum standard which had already been delisted from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in 1970.

‘Now, for steel, our minimum standard was delisted from ASTM back in 1970. That’s our minimum. In 1970, the standard was not accepted in other countries. But we’re still implementing it today. So, we have to raise that standard so we can at least level up. And then we have to implement that standard and make sure that [everyone] complies,’ Magsajo said.

Asked if the Philippines is the only country implementing such low standards, he told this paper: ‘Among the Pacific Ring of Fire countries, we’re the only ones with such standards.’

However, Magsajo pointed out that the raising of standards is ‘something I think that’s ongoing now with DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] in cooperation with the Association of Structural Engineers in the Philippines.’

With the earthquakes that recently hit some parts of the country, the industry leader said there are two issues that must be addressed in implementing steel standards in the Philippines.

‘So, there are two issues. First is raising the raising the standard and second is ensuring compliance with the standards,’ added Magsajo.

‘Because the issue raised with regard to standards, may standard ka na nga, hindi ka pa nagko-comply. So those are two separate but joint issues.’

As to the standards being implemented by the Philippines vis-a-vis its neighboring countries, Magsajo explained: ‘Not all of Asia or Asean countries has seismic zones so they have different standards.’

However, he noted that while Malaysia is not a seismic country or a country which experiences significant earthquake activity, it has higher standards than the Philippines.

The steel industry leader said now is an ‘opportune time’ for the Philippines to rethink the standards it implements.

‘It’s an opportune time for us. We’ve been talking about The Big One for 10 years now,’ he said.

With this, Magsajo prodded the government to focus on three priority areas in implementing standards not only for steel products but for construction materials being used in infrastructure.

‘One is if we can raise the minimum standards for materials, then that should help. Second is the practice, it’s all over the news now, we have ghost projects, substandard construction practices. So, those practices should be eliminated,’ Magsajo added.

He said that while Filipino engineers and scientists are ‘smart,’ there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to implementation and ‘unscrupulous’ practices of manufacturers.

‘Except the implementation below, it’s lacking. And then you have the you have the unscrupulous naman for manufacturers, retailers, or sellers na para lang makakita ako ng pera, benta ako ng substandard. It shouldn’t be like that,’ added Magsajo.

On enforcement, Magsajo said there is a lack of manpower and ‘natural knowledge’ of products.

‘So, there’s a lot of things that need to be monitored. Also the mindset of the consumer [must be changed] as they usually opt for cheap materials,’ he said.