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South Korea has finished talks with the US to release Korean workers

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Vitamin from Pixabay

SEOUL — South Korea has just wrapped up talks with the US for the release of detained Korean workers in Georgia, a presidential official said on Sunday.

A plane will be on its way to bring back the Koreans once administrative procedures are completed, Kang Hun-sik, Presidential Chief of Staff, said in televised remarks.

US federal agents carried out a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in Georgia this week in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative operations.

The majority of those hundreds detained were Korean nationals.

South Korea has recently reached a major trade deal with the US, which includes a $350-billion fund to help Korean companies enter the US market.

US President Donald J. Trump may visit South Korea in October for the gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event, CNN reported on Saturday, citing three Trump administration officials.

The South Korean official on Sunday said the government will seek ways to improve the visa system of Korean workers traveling to the US to “prevent a similar incident.” — Reuters

Popular Sydney beach deploys drones, helicopter after fatal shark attack

BONDI BEACH — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

SYDNEY — Australian authorities on Sunday deployed drones and a helicopter to monitor the waters around a popular Sydney beach after a surfer was killed by a great white shark on Saturday, officials said.

Two beaches in Australia’s most populous city remained closed on Sunday after the attack on Saturday morning that took place about 100 meters (328 feet) from shore while the man was surfing with friends at Long Reef Beach, in the north of the New South Wales state capital.

The experienced surfer was pulled from the water by other surfers, but had lost too much blood and died at the scene, police said. It was the first shark-attack death in Sydney since a swimmer was killed off a beach in February 2022, which the city’s first since 1963.

On Sunday, the state’s main water rescue organization, Surf Life Saving NSW, deployed drones and a helicopter to surveil the area for the shark, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said.

More so-called SMART drumlines, which use satellite technology to notify authorities when a shark is hooked on a baited line, had also been installed, it said in a statement.

Government shark biologists, after assessing photos of the victim’s surfboard, “determined a White shark approximately 3.4-3.6 meters (11.15-11.81 feet) in length was likely responsible” for the mauling, DPIRD said.

White sharks are also commonly known as great white sharks or white pointers, according to the agency.

Saturday’s incident marked the fourth fatal shark attack in Australia in 2025, data from the state-run operator of Sydney’s Taronga Zoo shows. In March, a surfer was killed by a shark in shallow water on a remote beach in Western Australia.

Australia ranked behind only the United States in the number of unprovoked shark bites on humans in 2024, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. — Reuters

Alex Eala wins first WTA crown at Guadalajara Open in Mexico

ALEX EALA — FACEBOOK.COM/GDLOPEN

ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA, at last, claimed an elusive Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) crown for the first time ever — for her and for Philippine tennis.

The Filipina pride pulled off a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 comeback win against Hungary’s Panna Udvardy to reign supreme in the WTA125 Guadalajara Open on Sunday at the Panamerican Tennis Center in Zapopan, Mexico.

Ms. Eala, seeded No. 2, bucked off a sluggish start after absorbing a near shutout to No. 134 and 26-year-old Udvardy in the first set before slowly but surely heating up for the historic win in two hours and 30 minutes.

Ranked higher at No. 75 in the WTA, Ms. Eala wasted a 5-3 set lead but broke Ms. Udvardy’s serve and held her own to escape in the second and force a deciding set, where she just stamped her class by owning the last three games from a close 4-3 cushion.

Ms. Eala brought home a cash prize of $115,000 or around P6.5 million, just a week after bagging a $154,000 or approximately P8.7-million purse with a second-round stint in the US Open in New York as the first Filipina ever to win in any Grand Slam main draw.

“First title,” posted Ms. Eala on social media with a photo of her wearing a Mexican hat as the ruler of Guadalajara. “To everyone who came here today, mga kababayan, maraming, maraming salamat.”

But there’s more to it than just money as Ms. Eala became the first Filipino to win a WTA singles crown at just 20 years old. And that feat was felt and heard around the world, from the Philippines to Spain.

She has won five pro titles in her budding career, including a junior singles Grand Slam crown in the 2022 US Open and a doubles title in the 2020 Australian Open, before finally soaring to new heights in the WTA Tour.

“History has been written by Alex Eala as she becomes the first Filipino to win a WTA singles title,” said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“Alex Eala is a WTA Champion! What a night in Guadalajara! She’s now the first Filipino — man or woman — to win a WTA singles. Goosebumps. Pure pride,” added the Rafael Nadal Academy, where she graduated as a scholar under the Spanish legend’s wing in 2023.

It’s a redemption of sorts for Ms. Eala, who absorbed a stinging 4-6, 6-2, 6-7 (10-12) loss in her first WTA final against Australia’s Maya Joint last June in the Eastbourne Open in England.

With her historic win, Ms. Eala climbed to No. 61 in the WTA live rankings from No. 75 with 1054 points for good momentum in her South American foray. Her career high was at No. 56.

Ms. Eala will play next in the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil next week as the No. 3 seed, eyeing her second title in laser-like focus in the WTA Tour after the completion of her Slam season with maiden stints in the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. — John Bryan Ulanday

Pasuit and Chavez, Jr. advance to last 16 of World Boxing Championships

THE Philippines’ Riza Pasuit and Ronald Chavez, Jr. pulled off contrasting results to launch their respective campaigns with a bang in the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, England on Saturday.

Ms. Pasuit overwhelmed Saudi Arabia’s Ragad Alnaimi via a second-round RSC (referee stopped contest) victory that catapulted the Southeast Asian Games silver medalist straight to the round-of-16 of the women’s 60-kilogram class.

There, she will battle Brazilian Rebeca Santos, who drew an opening round bye, on Tuesday.

For the 26-year-old Chavez, whose father Ronald, Sr. and uncle Arlo were Olympians, he had to draw strength from a strong start to overcome a late, furious challenge of Irishman Matthew McCole via a win on points, 3-2.

It propelled Mr. Chavez to the round-of-16 of the men’s 70kg class versus Frenchman Makan Traore, who smashed Chinese Taipei’s Kan Chia-Wei, 5-0.

But it wasn’t all rainbows as the country suffered its first casualty following Junmilardo Ogayre’s 5-0 defeat at the hands of Kazakhstan’s Biibars Zhexen in the men’s 60kg round-of-32.

Tokyo Olympics silver winner Carlo Paalam was trying to advance further as he was tackling Dominican Republic’s Junior Alcantara in the men’s 55kg on Sunday.

The two-time Olympian from Cagayan de Oro was coming off a dominant unanimous win over Taiwanese Hsu Chiao Chun on Friday.

Also fighting for dear life was Mark Ashley Fajardo, who was clashing with Ukrainian Elvin Aliiev in the men’s 65kg section. — Joey Villar

‘Tiger’ Sabalenka turns a corner in New York after Grand Slam final letdowns

NEW YORK — US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka may be nicknamed “The Tiger,” but her New York triumph on Saturday was less about raw aggression and more poise, as the world number one steadied herself and regrouped in key moments to claim a fourth Grand Slam title.

Determined to become the first woman since American great Serena Williams (2012–2014) to defend her crown at Flushing Meadows, the Belarusian carried the weight of recent major setbacks to claim a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Amanda Anisimova in the final and retain her crown.

After final defeats at Melbourne and Paris, and a Wimbledon semifinal setback against Anisimova, Sabalenka turned all that disappointment into fuel, earning the right to show up to her press conference in party mode, goggles perched on her head and a bottle of champagne in hand.

“After the Australian Open I thought that the right way would be just to forget it and move on, but then the same thing happened at the French Open. So I figured that, okay, maybe it’s time for me to sit back and to look at those finals and to maybe learn something,” an ecstatic Sabalenka told reporters.

“Going into this final I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions. I’m not going to let them take control over me, and doesn’t matter what happens in the match.”

“My mindset was just going out there, fight for every point. Doesn’t matter of the situation. Just focus on myself and focus on things that I have to do to win the match.”

The occasion seemed ripe for Sabalenka to crumble under the roar of a partisan Arthur Ashe crowd cheering her American opponent, but the 27-year-old showed that she was equipped to prevail in the toughest moments.

Sabalenka was serving for the match when she gifted Anisimova a break with a flubbed smash in what seemed a pivotal momentum shift. Yet the top seed did not miss when it mattered the most, winning a record 19th straight tiebreak.

“There were moments where I was really close to losing control, but I told myself, ‘No, it’s not going to happen. It’s absolutely okay,’” Sabalenka said.

“I was really close to losing it, because you cannot make these kinds of mistakes on important points. Sometimes it can be crucial, from my experience.

“But then I turn around and I took a deep breath in, and I was, like, okay, it happens. It’s in the past. Let’s focus on the next one.”

Sabalenka added that her milestone 100th Grand Slam match win carried extra weight because of the road it took to get there. — Reuters

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard among Hall of Fame inductees

FORMER NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, along with former women’s star Sue Bird, highlighted a decorated group inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Women’s stars Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, head coach Billy Donovan, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, referee Danny Crawford and the 2008 US Olympic men’s team also were inducted.

Anthony and Howard were members of the 2008 US Olympic team.

The class was announced in April at the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.

Anthony ranks 10th in NBA history with 28,289 career points and was a 10-time All-Star. He won three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016), led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA title and was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021. — Reuters

Djokovic not retiring

Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam ended not with a win but in a whimper, undone in the US Open semifinals by Carlos Alcaraz’s unrelenting pace and physicality. The latter seized the moment with a straight-sets win, leaving him visibly drained by the end. What began as another test of resilience quickly turned into a reminder that time exposes the mortality of even the most accomplished names. He conceded afterward that he “ran out of gas” after the decisive second set, a candid admission of limits to which he had hitherto seemed immune.

The progression of the match was, if nothing else, revealing. Alcaraz struck early, dictating exchanges and pressing Djokovic into uncomfortable positions from the baseline. A flicker of resistance came in the second set, when he broke serve and briefly ignited the crowd, but the energy did not hold. The Spaniard 17 years his junior reeled him back in, taking the tiebreak with relative ease. By the third set, his movement betrayed him; rallies he once closed with regularity slipped away. His point construction remained outstanding, but his finishing strokes lacked the requisite precision.

For Djokovic, the setback capped a season in which he failed to win a Grand Slam event for the first time since 2017, falling short in Rounds of Four and retiring at the Australian Open. The rise of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has turned consistency into a gauntlet, and he is constrained to admit that his biggest opponents are operating at a level “too good” to overcome without ample preparation. Clearly, it is no small shift. For two decades, the Big Three he formed with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal bent the sport to their will, forcing challengers to continually stare at their backsides. Now, the burden has flipped: he needs to summon everything left in his body and mind to keep pace with the best of a new generation that runs faster, hits harder, and recovers quicker.

For all the changes in the landscape however, Djokovic has, without surprise, refused to concede to Father Time. In the aftermath of his defeat, he dismissed retirement talk and instead vowed to keep pressing toward his quarter-century objective. The defiance is both familiar and admirable, but not without caveats. He hinted at uncertainty about playing a full Grand Slam season in 2026 and has yet to commit to Australia, where his resume shines the most. Adjustments in scheduling, preparation, and even ambition will be unavoidable. If winning once meant endurance across a full year, it now demands carefully chosen battles. The dream remains alive, but the path is narrower and more purposeful.

No longer is the future a question of whether Djokovic can still win; it is whether he can adapt quickly enough to seize the chances that remain. Alcaraz and Sinner have proven capable of crowding the summit of tennis, and each major will likely keep running through them. In the face of the daunting challenge, his enduring greatness will lie in reinvention. He has always been willing to bend his game to the demands of survival, and the instinct will be tested anew. The torch has not yet been passed, but it shakes in his hands. Whether he steadies it or yields it to decidedly superior rivals may define the final chapter of an already singular career.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

PHL defense modernization should allow quick acquisitions — analysts

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD PHOTO

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

PHILIPPINE LAWMAKERS should revise the country’s military modernization framework to allow faster acquisitions of defense assets, security analysts said at the weekend, as confrontations with China in the South China Sea continue to escalate.

They said a shift toward agile procurement would help the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) respond more effectively to real-time threats in contested waters, where flexibility and speed are critical.

“There are still significant adjustments to be made in the modernization program including abandoning the 15-year horizon framework for a flexible and agile model that allows assets to be acquired in real time as threats and technology continuously develop,” defense economist Rocio Salle Gatdula said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

She added that analysts are studying a “single horizon” approach that would allow the government to buy and upgrade equipment more quickly, rather than waiting for subsequent phases under the present system.

The Philippines is implementing a $35-billion (P2 trillion) modernization program that seeks to strengthen its defense posture in the next decade. The plan includes acquisitions of advanced warships, aircraft and missile systems, and is seen as a response to China’s growing military footprint in the South China Sea.

The maritime area has become a regional flashpoint, with Beijing asserting sovereignty over nearly the entire sea using its so-called nine-dash line map. A United Nations (UN)-backed tribunal in 2016 voided those sweeping claims, but China rejected the ruling and has maintained its presence around disputed features such as the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal.

Manila has repeatedly protested incidents in which Chinese vessels blocked or rammed Philippine ships and used water cannons against resupply missions to outposts in the waterway.

The Philippines first launched efforts to modernize its armed forces in 1995, though funding shortfalls left its largely outdated fleet dependent on donations and secondhand equipment. In 2012, the late President Benigno SC Aquino III revived the effort under a 15-year, horizons-based framework that sought to divide modernization into phases.

Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. in July asked Congress to amend the law to ensure the framework adapts to the changing nature of modern warfare.

Ms. Gatdula said slow government procurement is persistent obstacle. Contracts often face lengthy delays, leaving the military waiting years for equipment to arrive.

“Procurement processes must be simplified and expedited,” Victor Andres C. Manhit, president of the Stratbase-ADR Institute, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “The Philippines is playing catch-up in terms of defense modernization, and bureaucratic red tape should not hinder progress.”

Funding mechanisms should also be reviewed to ensure the military could make timely acquisitions. “For there to be more fast-tracked acquisitions, there needs to be more creative financing solutions,” Ms. Gatdula said.

Mr. Manhit added that stronger coordination among the Defense department, Budget department and Congress is needed to maintain consistent funding.

“Close cooperation with diverse defense partners could provide complementary financing options, technology transfers and training support that could ease the burden on domestic resources,” he added.

He said such partnerships could help ensure acquisitions are both financially sustainable and strategically reinforced.

Political analysts also cited the need to focus investments on maritime deterrence. Ms. Gatdula pointed to warships, air surveillance systems and command infrastructure that support interoperability with allies.

“Strategy should drive the decision in the acquisition of new equipment,” Rommel Jude G. Ong, a former Philippine Navy officer and now a professor of praxis at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, said via Messenger chat. “The military should opt for asymmetric capabilities unique to our archipelagic circumstance, [ones that are] sustainable to ensure that our supply chain is not compromised.”

Mr. Manhit said cyberdefense should also be a top priority. “Threats in the cyber-domain evolve faster than those in conventional warfare, making it critical for the Philippines,” he said.

He called for investments in resilient systems to protect infrastructure, stronger capacity to detect and respond to cyberattacks and the cultivation of a skilled workforce to manage advanced technologies.

Marcos off to Cambodia for three-day state visit

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos leaves from the Maharlika Presidential Hangar at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for a state visit to Cambodia. — PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Sunday left for a three-day state visit to Cambodia, aiming to secure more investments and security support from Phnom Penh, a staunch China supporter, as Manila lobbies for a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.

“During my visit, I will discuss ways to further diversify our cooperation and strengthen our intra-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relationships and exchanges by capitalizing on our complementary strengths in the face of global economic headwinds,” he told his Cabinet members in Villamor Airbase, Pasay City before boarding his flight to the Cambodian capital.

“We will discuss expanding our commercial relations and building more resilient value chains,” he added, according to a transcript from his office.

His state visit comes as the Philippines prepares for the chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2026.

Manila is pushing a legally binding Code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea, where about a third of global trade passes through annually. The Filipino leader lobbied for the initiative during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia earlier this year. The President’s visit comes as he tries to court more supporters to join Manila’s push to enforce a 2016 ruling by a United Nations-backed  tribunal that voided China’s expansive claims in the waterway.

The Philippines has also supported Cambodia in addressing traditional and nontraditional security challenges, such as transnational crimes, he pointed out.

“As the Philippines prepares to take the helm of ASEAN in 2026, my visit will reinforce the importance of ASEAN centrality and our commitment to build a progressive and inclusive region,” he added.

The Philippines and Cambodia have strengthened ties through South-South cooperation, including scholarships for Cambodian students in science and technology, Mr. Marcos said.

The President named Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III as government caretakers while he is away.

Mr. Marcos was accompanied by Cabinet members including Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu-Laurel, Jr., Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac. First Lady Liza-Araneta Marcos will also accompany him.

The trip marks the first state visit to Cambodia by a Philippine President since 2016, after an invitation from King Norodom Sihamoni. It also mirrors Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s official visit to Manila in February.

The President is also scheduled to meet with members of Cambodia’s Filipino community, which is about 7,500.

His official engagements include meetings with Senate President Hun Sen, representing the King, and with the Prime Minister, the Department of Foreign Affairs said last week.

Talks are expected to center on strengthening people-to-people ties, broadening trade and economic relations, enhancing cooperation against transnational crimes and getting Cambodia’s support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.

Both sides are set to sign accords on crime prevention, higher education and expanded air services, the DFA added.

Mr. Marcos will also lead a roundtable with Filipino and Cambodian business leaders aimed at boosting trade and investment opportunities.

“The visit of President Marcos to Cambodia, aside from being economic in nature, may also be a political maneuvering to garner support for the binding CoC that we plan to pursue during our ASEAN chairmanship,” Josue Raphael J. Cortez, an ASEAN Studies lecturer at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde in Manila, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

With the country simultaneously campaigning for a nonpermanent UN Security Council seat, gaining consensus on the code of conduct is crucial, he said.

“Given the tight-knit ties of Cambodia and China, there is a big possibility that it will not be supporting the document,” he said. “However, how Cambodia will navigate the situation may be the litmus test of its credibility as a partner, not just bilaterally, but more importantly, as a member state of ASEAN.”

Manila and Phnom Penh established diplomatic relations in 1957 but paused during the Cold War. Relations resumed in 1995 when the Philippine Embassy reopened in the Cambodian capital.

11,437 examinees attend first day of 2025 bar exams

FAMILIES and well-wishers send off aspiring lawyers on the first day of the 2025 Bar Examinations at the New Era University in Quezon City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

THE SUPREME COURT said 11,437 aspiring lawyers sat for the first day of the 2025 Bar Examinations on Sunday, marking an 86.7% turnout from 13,193 registrants.

Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, chairperson of this year’s exams, said the attendance reflects an increase from 2024, when 10,483 examinees reported on the first day.

“The trend is going up,” she told a news briefing. “Whenever there is a significant casualty rate, those who did not pass tend to return the following year.”

Of this year’s candidates, 5,215 are first-time takers, 4,239 are retakers and 1,984 are refresher examinees. The group also includes 241 persons with disabilities, 206 senior examinees, 41 pregnant examinees and 139 with medical conditions.

Women continue to outnumber men in the bar cohort, a trend seen in recent years. Of the total attendees, 6,673 were women compared with 4,764 men. Last year’s figures showed a similar ratio, with 6,108 female examinees against 4,375 males.

The exams are being conducted in a three-day, digitalized and localized format. The first day covered political and public international law as well as commercial and taxation laws.

The second day, scheduled for Sept. 10, will focus on civil law, labor law and social legislation, while the final day on Sept. 14 will cover criminal law, remedial law and legal and judicial ethics with practical exercises.

Testing is spread across 14 local centers nationwide. New Era University in Quezon City hosted the biggest number of examinees at 1,698, followed by the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu with 1,264 and Saint Louis University in Baguio with 1,253.

On exam standards, Justice Lazaro-Javier said each question is designed for fairness and clarity. “Every question is crafted with discernment and based on doctrines, principles and my own cases. Every subject is treated equally, and the standard is fairness,” she said.

With rain expected in some areas, contingency measures such as buses were placed on standby to help examinees, particularly in flood-prone centers.

Ms. Javier encouraged examinees to stay committed. “Success is not the result of a single action. It is a series of decisions to show up and do your best,” she added.

The results of the 2025 bar exams are expected in December. Last year, 3,962 passed, or a 37.84% passing rate.

Draft EO on independent body for flood control probe up for Marcos’ approval

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. held a press conference on Monday in Malacañan Palace during the launch of the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website, which will allow the public to report issues on flood control projects.— PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B PABALATE

AN EXECUTIVE order (EO) creating an independent body to investigate bogus flood control projects has been submitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., his executive secretary said on Sunday.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said Malacañang has given “serious study” to the pending issuance of the order creating a panel to investigate questionable flood control projects, adding that several names have been floated as possible members.

“It’s a very ideal commission for that purpose of looking at the flood control anomalies,” he told reporters after Mr. Marcos left for his Cambodia state visit. “We expect that in its final form, the executive order will be welcomed by the people.”

Mr. Marcos has previously said he will create an independent commission composed of investigators, prosecutors and justices to look into “nefarious activities” involving flood control project deals.

“I don’t know if the President has already signed it,” Mr. Bersamin said.

Reports of substandard flood control projects worth billions of pesos have fueled public outrage in a country increasingly vulnerable to severe flooding, with critics citing incomplete, poorly built or non-existent infrastructure.

The Philippine Congress has since launched an investigation into alleged large-scale corruption in flood control deals that may possibly implicate state engineers, construction firms and politicians amid claims of collusion to defraud infrastructure funds.

About P545 billion was channeled towards flood control projects since 2022, Mr. Marcos said in early August, noting that 15 contractors bagged about P100 billion or 20% of the total funds.

“We have had enough,” a joint statement signed by more than 120 organizations, including business groups and civil society coalitions stated. “We must reject the system of corruption that kills our fellow Filipinos and erodes our confidence in government.”

They added that Mr. Marcos’ independent commission must be composed of individuals with “unimpeachable integrity and competence.” “Someone must be held accountable, [and] those responsible must be punished.”

“The government must prosecute not just the small fish but the masterminds behind this flood control scandal,” they said in the Sunday statement.

The Public Works and Budget departments should also create a panel composed of scientists and local community leaders to study the flood control deals included in the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for next year, they added.

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito said in a statement on Sunday the independent body must be composed of engineers, retired justices of “unquestionable integrity” and representatives from religious and civil society groups, warning that a probe led by officials or lawmakers could undermine public trust in the proceedings.

Separately, Senator Erwin T. Tulfo called for the review of a law mandating contractor accreditation, arguing that the requirements enable conflicts of interest in public bidding.

Philippine contractors are required by law to be licensed by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, whose board is composed entirely of contractors — a setup prone to self-dealing.

“How can they monitor, oversee and regulate construction projects in the country, whether these are done properly, are not substandard, or are not ‘ghost’ projects — if they themselves are also contractors?” he said in a separate statement.

“I cannot imagine how such a law was passed when some of its provisions are clearly self-serving, especially the qualifications for becoming part of the Board of Directors,” he added, referring to Republic Act No. 4566.   

He said he would file a Senate resolution on Monday to review the law to determine whether it should be amended or abolished altogether.

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis G. Escudero said he wants to slash P250.8 billion from the Public Works department’s proposed budget for next year, redirecting the funds to health, education and food production.

“It would be more practical and beneficial to cut the funds allocated for flood control for now and redirect them to education, health, and food production while we await the Asian Development Bank-funded flood control master plan,” he said in a separate statement. “Reducing the DPWH budget also means reducing the potential for corruption.”

He said authorities should also consider partnering with local governments to coordinate dredging activities that could help alleviate flooding in vulnerable communities. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

DoLE rolls out P14.5-M job aid

Thousands of job seekers flock to the job fair organized by the Department of Labor (DoLE) on May 1, 2025.— PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) rolled out over P14.5 million in emergency employment and livelihood assistance to nearly 1,000 disadvantaged workers in the Davao Region this year.

A total of 940 people benefited from the DoLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program as of August, the agency said in a statement on Sunday.

Of the amount, P9.1 million funded small business ventures including small convenience stores, rice retailing and livestock raising. 

About P5.4 million went to wages for 598 cash-for-work beneficiaries, including former recipients of the government’s conditional cash transfer program and persons deprived of liberty under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

The initiative provides livelihood grants and temporary jobs through its Tulong Pangkabuhayan Sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) scheme.

“Our partnerships with other government agencies allow us to extend more meaningful and sustainable support to our beneficiaries,” DoLE-11 Regional Director Randolf C. Pensoy said.

“By pooling together our resources and expertise, we are not only providing livelihood assistance but also creating stronger and more resilient communities.”

The program also extended support to workers’ organizations and provided technical advisory services to ensure compliance with labor standards.

The labor department said it will continue to scale up assistance in Davao through inter-agency collaboration for the rest of the year.

Partnerships with agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Commission on Human Rights and the Games and Amusement Board expanded the coverage of aid. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

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